Atty. Kevin R. Budner
Kevin R. Budner is a partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco specializing in complex, high-impact litigation.
Profile Summary
About Kevin R. Budner at a glance
Kevin R. Budner is a personal injury, class action, and product liability attorney based in San Francisco, California, practicing at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP. They have 14+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 2012. Admitted to practice in California (2012). Educated at University of California Berkeley (J.D., 2012) and Wesleyan University (B.A., 2005). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs (2026). Serands clients in San Francisco, CA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Kevin R. Budner is a partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco specializing in complex, high-impact litigation
- Of particular note, Kevin was one of the lead attorneys prosecuting San Francisco’s case in the nationwide opioid litigation
- Among other roles, Kevin directed the team’s discovery efforts against Walgreens and played a key role in the multi-month bellwether trial
- In a milestone opinion, Judge Charles R. Breyer concluded that “the aggregate evidence that Plaintiff presented at trial was not only adequate to establish Walgreens’ culpability—it was devastating.” This landmark victory led to a $230 million recovery for San Francisco and was a significant factor in driving Walgreens’ multi-billion dollar, nationwide settlement
- Kevin has also had a number of success representing the owners of over-polluting and underperforming vehicles, beginning with the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” multidistrict litigation
- In that case, plaintiffs alleged that Volkswagen lied to the government and misled its customers about the emissions of its diesel engine vehicles
- Kevin worked closely with lead counsel, Elizabeth Cabraser, and the team’s efforts resulted in settlements worth nearly $15 billion
- Kevin’s other vehicle emissions accomplishments include a recent settlement with Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors, valued at $445 million
- a $307.5 million resolution in the Fiat-Chrysler “EcoDiesel” MDL
- and litigation against Audi and Porsche for overstating fuel economy in hundreds of thousands of gasoline-powered vehicles
- In all of these cases, Kevin and his colleagues secured meaningful results that consumers overwhelmingly supported
- As one illustration, in approving an $80 million settlement with Porsche, the court noted that class members would recover “close to all of the damages they might expect to receive at trial” and applauded counsel for the “unusually successful” class participation rates
- For these and other achievements, Kevin has been recognized as a “Top 40 Under 40 Lawyer” (Daily Journal), one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America (Lawdragon), a “Rising Star for Class Action law (Law360), a “Rising Star of the Plaintiff’s Bar” (National Law Journal), a “Rising Star for Northern California” (Super Lawyers), and “One to Watch” (Best Lawyers)
- He and his colleagues have also received awards for “Trial Lawyer of the Year” (Public Justice), “Trial Lawyer Excellence” (Law Bulletin), “California Lawyer of the Year” (California Daily Journal), and “Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist” (Consumer Attorneys of California)
Practice Areas Explained
Kevin R. Budner's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Kevin R. Budner handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Kevin R. Budner is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in California →
Kevin R. Budner is one of 26,424 class action attorneys indexed nationally. Browse class action attorneys in California →
Kevin R. Budner is one of 66,193 product liability attorneys indexed nationally. Browse product liability attorneys in California →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in California
Practicing law in California. Legal matters in California are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in San Francisco are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate California state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in California brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in California courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional California attorneys? Browse all attorneys in San Francisco or all attorneys in California.
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