David Rudolph is a partner at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, and a nationally-recognized advocate and scholar specializing in privacy law. He serves as class counsel in several landmark data privacy cases that challenge illegal and invasive conduct by technology companies. He is a member of the firm’s Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, and Antitrust & Intellectual Property practice groups.
He is Adjunct Professor of Law at UC College of the Law, San Francisco, where he teaches privacy law. A Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), David regularly presents on and moderates panels addressing cutting-edge issues in privacy, cybersecurity, and data governance.
David is the author of Litigating Corporate Surveillance: Privacy, Autonomy, Power, and Democracy in the Courtroom (Routledge, 2025). In this book, he offers a critical corrective to prevailing views on the legality of corporate data exploitation practices, arguing that litigation-rather than legislation alone-is essential to enforcing privacy rights in democratic societies.
David currently serves as class counsel in several cutting-edge privacy class actions challenging harmful corporate surveillance practices:
•Katz-Lacabe v. Oracle America, Inc.- David serves as count-appointed class counsel in litigation against Oracle America Inc., a leading data broker, alleging it surveilled consumers, compiled detailed profiles-covering geolocation, finances, demographics, and health-and sold this data to third parties without consent. Plaintiffs claimed Oracle’s “coretag” tracking embedded in popular websites unlawfully intercepted communications, affecting individuals with no relationship to Oracle. In November 2024, the Northern District of California granted final approval to a $115 million settlement, which includes compensation to class members and mandates changes to Oracle’s data practices. Shortly after entering into the settlement agreement with the plaintiffs, Oracle shuttered its ad tech and data brokering business.
•Riganian v. LiveRamp Holdings, Inc.- David represents plaintiffs challenging one of the world’s largest data brokers for unlawfully collecting, aggregating, and selling detailed personal information without consent. The case alleges LiveRamp assigns persistent “RampIDs” to create comprehensive identity profiles sold through its Data Marketplace, despite consumers having no direct relationship with the company. In July 2025, the Northern District of California denied LiveRamp’s motion to dismiss, allowing the case to proceed in full on claims including violations of the California Constitution, Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and California Invasion of Privacy Act.
•In re The Trade Desk, Inc. Data Privacy Litigation- David serves as court-appointed lead counsel in consolidated class action litigation against this major digital advertising platform. The case challenges The Trade Desk’s alleged pervasive surveillance practices, including tracking individuals’ online and offline activities to compile detailed dossiers containing sensitive health, political, financial, and location information. Plaintiffs allege the company’s “Unified ID 2.0” system and data broker partnerships enable creation and sale of “cradle-to-grave” profiles without consent, and the litigation seeks injunctive relief and damages for invasion of privacy.
David’s extensive experience litigating core technical and legal issues encompasses data breaches, digital advertising technologies, GDPR compliance, and the intersection of machine learning systems with consumer privacy rights. His privacy practice builds upon deep experience as an antitrust and intellectual property litigator. He has represented end-payor classes in major pharmaceutical antitrust litigation, including the Cipro drug antitrust cases, the Restasis antitrust litigation, and the Generic Pharmaceuticals Price-Fixing cases. His intellectual property experience includes prosecuting and defending patent infringement claims in federal district courts across California and Texas, as well as before the International Trade Commission.
Recognized by Lawdragon as one of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America,” “500 Leading Litigators in America,” and “500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers” from 2019 through 2025, David has also twice received the American Antitrust Institute’s “Outstanding Private Practice Antitrust Achievement” award in 2017 and 2020.
Prior to joining Lieff Cabraser, David litigated high-profile patent and copyright cases at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, and served as a law clerk for the Hon. Saundra Brown Armstrong, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California.
Classes & Seminars
•Faculty, “The Outside Counsel Perspective,” California Privacy Law 2025, Practising Law Institute, November 2025
•Faculty, “The Outside Counsel Perspective,” California Privacy Law 2023, Practising Law Institute, October 2023
•Moderator, “Understanding Ad Tech,” BASF Cybersecurity and Privacy Law Section Conference, October 2022
•Speaker, “Outside Counsel Perspective,” California Privacy Law 2022, Practising Law Institute, October 2022
•Moderator, “Facial Recognition - Legislation, Litigation, and Challenges,” BASF Cybersecurity and Privacy Law Section Panel, May 2022
•Panelist, “Don’t Get Bucked by the Mechanical Bull: Holding onto Adversarial Ethics While Riding Innovations,” American Bar Association 25th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, April 2022
•Speaker, “Outside Counsel Perspective,” California Privacy Law 2021, Practising Law Institute, October 2021
•Speaker, “Outside Counsel Perspective,” California Privacy Law 2020, Practising Law Institute, October 2020
•Panelist, Privacy Class Actions, Civil Law Symposium on Class Actions, Northern District Practice Program, 2018
•Strategies for Data Breach Cases, American Association for Justice, 2017
•Intellectual Property Roundtable, California Lawyer, 2013
Honors & Awards
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers,” Lawdragon, 2025, 2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2019-2025
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America,” Lawdragon, 2025
•“Outstanding Private Practice Antitrust Achievement,” American Antitrust Institute, 2017, 2020
In the News
•January 16, 2026
14 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to Lawdragon’s 2nd Annual “Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers” List
•November 13, 2025
David Rudolph to Speak at Practising Law Institute’s California Privacy Law 2025
•June 6, 2025
Twenty-Four Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Named to Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” List for 2025
•September 26, 2024
Twenty-Two Lieff Cabraser Partners Named to 2025 “Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America” List
•May 28, 2024
Twenty-Four Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Recognized as Lawdragon “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” for 2024
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