Nanci E. Nishimura is a partner at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, where she handles complex civil litigation focusing on antitrust and business litigation--including representing municipalities whose investments of public funds have been defrauded by unscrupulous financial institutions--and businesses, non-profits and individuals involved in commercial disputes, or defending those we believe have been wrongly sued. Nanci is responsible for litigation in state and federal courts across the country, including mediation, and community-based pro bono work. In 2019, she was named for the second time as one of the Top 100 Women Lawyers in California. Nishimura was named one of fifty Top Women Lawyers in California for 2020. This is the third time she has been honored as a leading woman lawyer in the State.
PROFESSIONAL COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
Nanci serves on the California Commission on Judicial Performance, where in March 2018, she was the first woman non-judge to be elected as Chair, and completed her second term as chair in March 2020. She was first appointed to the 11-member commission in 2011 by then-Governor Jerry Brown. Among her responsibilities on the Commission, she chairs the Education Committee, an outreach program to teach how the Commission serves to protect the public from judicial misconduct.
In December 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Nanci to the California Uniform Law Commission, where she serves on the Supply Chain Transparency study committee to explore nationwide regulations on coercive labor practices in America, including human trafficking, forced labor, and modern slavery in manufacturing industries. She has served on U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer’s Judicial Appointments Committee for the Northern District of California, and the State Bar Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Nanci is a member of the San Mateo County Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, Association of Trial Lawyers of California, Asian American Bar Association, and the American Bar Foundation. She is a Life Member, former Governor (District 3) and first Vice President of the California Women Lawyers, and past member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the LACBA Litigation Section Trial Practice Inn of Court.
VARIOUS CASES
Nanci’s experience in civil and criminal appellate litigation includes First and Fourth Amendment and civil rights. She wrote the briefs on the merits and appeared before the United States Supreme Court in the precedent-setting privacy case Hanlon v. Berger, 526 U.S. 808 (1999), and co-authored, “An Invasion of Privacy: The Media’s Involvement in Law Enforcement Activities,” 18 Loy. L.A. Ent. L.J. 313 (1999). Published cases, among others, include Berger v. CNN Inc., 188 F.3d 1155 (9th Cir. 1999); Ayeni v. Mottola, 35 F.3d 680 (2d Cir. 1994), cert. denied, 514 US 1062 (1995), aff'g Ayeni v. CBS Inc., 848 F. Supp. 362 (E.D.N.Y. 1994); Brunette v. Humane Society of Ventura County, 294 F.3d 1205 (9th Cir. 2002); Aquila, Inc. v. Superior Court, 148 Cal. App. 4th 556 (2007); Regents of University of California v. Superior Court, 165 Cal. App. 4th 672 (2008); In re LIBOR - Based Fin. Instruments Litigation, 27 F. Supp. 3d 447 (S.D.N.Y., June 23, 2014); and In re Ambac Bond Insurance Cases, 2016 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1230 (Cal. App. 1st Dist., February 18, 2016).
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
For more than 20 years, Nanci has served on the Board of Trustees of the California Science Center Foundation, a state agency which promotes STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math), and is a board member of The MUSES of the California Science Center Foundation (past-president), which raises scholarship funds and hosts the annual State Science Fair. She is a Commissioner of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (appointed by then-Mayor Edwin Lee), and on the Board of Trustees of the Asian Art Museum Foundation, where she chairs the Education Committee (to promote education and integration of pan-Asian art and culture in California) and serves on the Ethics, Transformation Project, and Executive Committees. She Co-Chairs the Leaders Forum, a non-profit, non-partisan network of thought leaders and strategic partners in government and private industry modeled from the White House Commission on Asian American Pacific Islanders. She is active in Fund Her, to promote women in state legislatures, the San Mateo Rotary Club, and other community-based non-profits. She created Storytime with Argyle and Abby Rabbit, where children interact with live bunnies in costumes and learn to love reading, respect animals, and build self-esteem.
EDUCATION
Nanci received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern California, and completed her undergraduate studies at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. She received a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Southern California and completed her graduate studies at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She received her J.D. from The Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. While in the nation’s capital, she worked at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and served on the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs as a Legislative Aide to Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.
Prior to law school, Nanci had a career in the United States and Japan as a business development and marketing consultant to major corporations, building products manufacturers, and urban developers and architects.
Representative Matters
LITIGATION EXAMPLES:
John’s Grill v. Hartford Financial Services Group, et al.
San Francisco County Superior Court
Nanci is co-lead counsel representing the iconic San Francisco restaurant John’s Grill, and other businesses, in a series of cases alleging bad faith refusal to provide insurance coverage for business interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and related Civil Authority shutdown orders.
Wong v. Princess Cruises, et al.
USDC, Central District of California
Nanci is co-lead counsel representing plaintiffs who were passengers aboard the Grand Princess when their February 2020 San Francisco to Hawaii cruise was interrupted by a COVID-19 outbreak, and they were forced to quarantine onboard until they were transported to an isolated air force base. Plaintiff is still recovering from COVID-19, but her husband died. The complaint alleges defendants’ negligently allowed the ship to sail knowing it was infected with the coronavirus by overlapping passengers and crew from the prior cruise and failed to decontaminate the ship.
In re: LIBOR-based Financial Instruments Antitrust Litigation
USDC, Southern District of New York; MDL Proceeding
Nanci leads a team representing more than a dozen California cities, counties, and public entities, including East Bay Municipal Utilities District, San Diego Association of Governments, San Diego County, San Mateo County, City of Richmond, and The UC Regents, against major financial institutions including Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank, alleging they manipulated the global benchmark interest rate known as the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR. CPM’s individual cases are consolidated with dozens of nationwide class actions in New York.
Municipal Derivatives Antitrust Litigation
USDC, Southern District of New York; MDL Proceeding
Nanci was lead counsel for the team that recovered millions of dollars in settlements on behalf of more than 24 cities, counties, utilities, and educational institutions including the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports, San Mateo County, East Bay Municipal Utility District, and The UC Regents against major banks and insurance companies, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan, alleging they rigged the bidding process for investing millions in municipal bond funds.
Ambac Bond Insurance Litigation
San Francisco County Superior Court
Nanci was lead counsel and recovered millions of dollars in settlements on behalf of 26 cities, counties, educational institutions and non-profits, including The UC Regents, City of San Jose, City of Riverside, and Sacramento Municipal Utility District against bond insurers and credit rating agencies, including Ambac, MBIA, and Standard & Poor’s, alleging defendants conspired to suppress plaintiffs’ credit ratings to compel them to purchase costly insurance to enhance the ratings of their bond issuances.
Miele v. Franklin Resources, Inc. et al.
USDC, Northern District of California
Nanci was co-lead counsel in the successful defense of one of the world’s largest investment management firms and its former CEO, who allegedly failed to safeguard shares of Franklin stock purchased in 1973 to be held in trust for Plaintiff, and valued at almost $200 million 40 years later when the lawsuit was filed. Challenging discovery revealed Plaintiff and his family obtained money from the sale of the stock in the 1990s, in support of summary judgment in favor of defendants, and affirmed on appeal.
Rubin v. Peters, et al.
San Mateo County Superior Court
Nanci was co-lead counsel representing the plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging legal malpractice and fraud in connection with a prenuptial agreement finagled by a tech entrepreneur for his wife prior to their marriage. The case settled on favorable terms after the court unsealed the complaint and denied defendants’ demurrers to nearly all counts.
Johnson v. Lyft, Inc.
San Francisco County Superior Court
Nanci sued the Lyft ride-sharing platform whose driver is alleged to have sexually assaulted the plaintiff after she boarded his vehicle. The case challenged the forced arbitration clause in Lyft’s online terms of service and whether sexual assault is subject to the forced arbitration clause.
Marie Hatch v. David Kantz
San Mateo County Superior Court
Nanci was co-lead counsel, and then lead counsel, pro bono representing a 97-year old woman who learned during the 2015 holidays that she was being evicted from her home of more than 60 years, despite an agreement she could live in the home until she died after caring for the original homeowner. Mrs. Hatch died on the day she was notified appraisers were to enter her home, and her son became the plaintiff. The case settled days before trial was set to begin in 2018.
CPM Investigates Underpayments of Crude Oil Royalties by Oil Companies
PayPal Honey Affiliate Commission Theft Litigation
Honors & Recognitions
2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers
2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers
2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers
Top Women Lawyers in California, Daily Journal (2020)
Top 100 Women Litigators, Daily Journal (2010, 2019)
Top 50 Women Litigators in Northern California, Daily Journal (2009)
Super Lawyers, San Francisco Magazine (2006-2026)
Publications
14 Sep 2023
Federal Courts Should Do Judicial Ethics California-Style
In the News
24 Apr 2026
Historic Settlement with Google to Protect Privacy
25 Feb 2026
Gas station sued for Broadway closures in Burlingame
25 Nov 2025
Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy Helps Secure Settlement in Landmark Privacy Litigation
21 Jan 2025
BART Sued by Family of Woman Killed at Powell Street Station
12 Jun 2024
CPM Attorneys Recognized as 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers
18 Mar 2024
Steve Wozniak’s “Bitcoin Giveaway" Lawsuit to go Forward
19 Apr 2023
Former Pac-12 Network President and CFO Sue Pac-12 For Firing and Defaming Them
28 Dec 2022
Landmark Ruling in John’s Grill Covid-19 Lawsuit
15 Dec 2022
San Francisco’s John’s Grill and The Hartford Have Settled Their Hard-Fought Covid-19 Lawsuit
04 Nov 2022
Google Ordered to Yield Ad Bidding Documents in Privacy Lawsuit
05 Jul 2022
CPM Attorneys Selected to 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
14 Jun 2022
Google Must Face Users Claiming Privacy Rift Over Ad Bidding
12 Oct 2021
Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Impacted Commercial Fishermen in The Orange County Oil Spill Case
07 Jul 2021
17 CPM Attorneys Honored as Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
06 May 2021
Google sued for selling user data despite claims the company does not
05 May 2021
Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Google from Secretly Selling Americans' Private Information Without Informed Consent
04 Nov 2020
CPM Partner Nanci Nishimura Selected by the Daily Journal as One of the Top Women Lawyers in 2020
23 Oct 2020
CPM Helps Couple to Sue Carnival Corporation and plc & Princess Cruise Lines for Allegedly Covering Up Coronavirus as Influenza
29 Jul 2020
Aided by CPM, the Historic Cliff House San Francisco Restaurant Sues Allianz Insurance and Affiliates
27 May 2020
CPM Helps Family Sue Carnival and Princess Cruises for Intentionally Hiding Knowledge of COVID-19 Before the Cruise Ship Left Port
15 Apr 2020
Represented by CPM, Historic John's Grill Sues Hartford Insurance and Affiliates
15 Oct 2018
United States Supreme Court Denies Defendant Paint Companies Review of Lead Paint Poisoning Case (Plaintiffs Represented by CPM)
19 Sep 2018
Four CPM Partners Named Daily Journal's Top 100 Lawyers in California
02 Apr 2018
Commission on Judicial Performance Announces the Election of CPM Partner Nanci E. Nishimura as Chairperson
20 Jan 2017
CPM Client Lefty O'Doul's Files Lawsuit Against the Handlery Family for Trademark Violation
22 Mar 2016
In Elder Abuse Case, CPM Files Motion to Continue Action for 97 Year Old Lady Who Died Facing Eviction from Home Promised for Life
2016
Burlingame: Powerhouse law firm Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy comes to aid of woman, 97, facing eviction
11 May 2015
CPM Partner Nanci Nishimura Selected by White House to Represent Top 50 Asian Americans at Conference on Education and Entrepreneurship of Asian American Businesses
10 Mar 2015
Gov. Jerry Brown Re-Appoints CPM Partner Nanci Nishimura to the CA Commission on Judicial Performance
13 Feb 2015
US Supreme Court Ruling Helps CPM Proceed with Antitrust LIBOR Manipulation Cases
CPM Represents Monster Cable in Lawsuit Against Dr. Dre and Beats Electronics
Governor Jerry Brown Reappoints CPM Partner Nishimura to California Commission on Judicial Performance
CPM's Litigation For Monster Against Dr. Dre and Beats Electronics Headed to Trial in Los Angeles
14 Nov 2013
CPM Files Complaint for Libor Interest Rate Manipulation for Mendocino County
16 Sep 2013
School bonds are a Wall Street scam
Jun 2013
CPM Files Complaints for LIBOR Interest Rate Manipulation for UC Regents, City of Houston & Other Public Entities
2013
CPM Appointed Lead Counsel for Securities Derivative Action In HP-Autonomy Deal
19 Dec 2012
CPM Files Derivative Complaint on Behalf of HP Shareholder Against HP Board of Directors
Speaking Engagements
February 2012-2018, February 2020
Judicial Discipline and How it Relates to the Work of the JNE Commission, California State Bar JNE Commission, Commission on Judicial Performance
2014-2017
You Be The Judge, California State Bar Association, Annual Convention, Commission of Judicial Performance
31 Jan 2020
How It Works: Judicial Selection to Judicial Discipline, San Mateo County Bar Association Funky Credit Day
27 Oct 2019
Women Leadership In Law Forum, Women in Government
15 Nov 2018
Women Leadership In Law Forum, Women in the Courtroom
July 2017
Judicial Careers, Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
April 2012
So You Want to Be A Judge? California Women Lawyers (CWL) Annual Conference
July 2017
Judicial Ethics, Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
October 2017
Role of the Commission on Judicial Performance, California Judges Association
2012 - 2018
California State Bar JNE Commission - Judicial Discipline and How it Relates to the Work of the JNE
April 2012
California Women Lawyers 2012 Annual Conference Silicon Valley
Apr 2011
Doing Justice and Finding Fulfillment in the Law
Jun 2010
Diversity, Rainmaking and Success in the Legal Profession
Oct 2009
Women Breaking Through in 2009: Capitalizing on Opportunities
Jun 2009
Developing Your Oral Argument Style
Jul 2008
Ethics: How to Keep Your Boss Out of Trouble
2008
Pathways to the Bench: Judicial Appointments - Making Our Voices Count
Feb 2008
Strategies for Class Action and Coordination Proceedings - Class Actions in Action
Civic
California Science Center Foundation, Board of Trustees (2000-present)
The MUSES of the California Science Center Foundation, Board of Directors, past-President (1998-present)
Asian Art Museum Foundation, Board of Trustees (2011-present)
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Commissioner (2011-present)
Leaders Forum, Co-Chair, Advisory Board, and Member (2014-present)
Fund Her, Board of Directors and Member (2018-present)
Rotary Club of San Mateo, Member (2008-present)
American Bar Foundation.
