Fine, Kaplan and Black, R.P.C.

Roberta D. Liebenberg

Roberta D. Liebenberg is a senior partner at Fine Kaplan and Black in Philadelphia, where she focuses her practice on class actions, antitrust and complex commercial litigation. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Catholic University Columbus School of Law, magna cum laude, where she was the Notes Editor of the Law Review. Thereafter, she served as a law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Ms. Liebenberg is the recipient of the 2008 Sandra Day O'Connor Award by the Philadelphia Bar Association. This award is conferred annually on a woman attorney who has demonstrated superior legal talent, achieved significant legal accomplishments, and has furthered the advancement of women in both the profession and the community. In May, 2007, Ms. Liebenberg was named as one of The National Law Journal's "50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America." In June, 2008, and again in June 2009, she was named as one of the "Top Ten Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania" in Philadelphia Magazine, the only woman to receive such an honor. In October, 2006, Ms. Liebenberg was named by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell as a "Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania" for her leadership and contributions to the State. In April, 2003, she was named as the first recipient of the Lynette Norton Award by the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession. That award was given to her in recognition of her outstanding litigation skills and mentoring of women attorneys. In December, 2003, she was named as one of the "Women of Distinction" by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the National Association of Women Business Owners, based on her commitment to professional excellence and community involvement. Every year since 2004, she has been recognized by Philadelphia Magazine as one of the "Top 50 Female Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania" and one of the "Top 100 Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania." Ms. Liebenberg was named one of the "Women Leaders in the Profession" by The Legal Intelligencer. She was recognized as a leader in the field of Class Actions.

Every year since 2004, Ms. Liebenberg has been listed in the highest band-level as one of the leading antitrust lawyers in Pennsylvania by the Chambers USA Guide: America's Leading Business Lawyers. The 2009 Chambers Guide states that "First-class litigator Roberta Liebenberg consistently impresses with her unparalleled knowledge of economic issues and her indomitable courtroom approach. 'She truly is one of the most talented and accomplished antitrust lawyers in the country.'" Since 2006, she has been listed in Best Lawyers in America in the field of Antitrust. Ms. Liebenberg serves as a member of the Best Lawyers Advisory Board.

Ms. Liebenberg served as Chair of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary from 2006–2007. Prior to that appointment, she served as the Third Circuit representative on the Standing Committee from 2005-2006. In 2007, Ms. Liebenberg was elected as the Pennsylvania State Delegate to the ABA House of Delegates, and she serves on the ABA Nominating Committee. From 2003 to 2005, Ms. Liebenberg was a member of the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association, representing Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In addition, she served on the Governing Council of the American Bar Association's Section of Litigation and was the Section's Delegate to the House of Delegates. She also served as Chair of the Class Actions and Derivative Suits Committee of the Litigation Section. Ms. Liebenberg formerly chaired the Philadelphia Bar Association's Antitrust Committee from 2002–2007 and 1993–1997.

Since August, 2008, Ms. Liebenberg has served as Chair of the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession, whose first Chair was Hillary Rodham Clinton. In addition, she chaired the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession from 1995 to 1997. She also served as Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Women in the Profession Committee from 2005-2007.

Ms. Liebenberg was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to the Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness, and serves as Chair of its Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Victims Committee. Previously, she was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to its Committee on Racial and Gender Bias in the Justice System, where she was Co-Chair of the Gender Bias Committee. In addition, she served as Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Special Committee to Coordinate the Bar's Response to Racial and Gender Bias in the Justice System, as well as its Gender Fairness Task Force. She also served on the Advisory Board of "DirectWomen," an ABA initiative to enable women lawyers to prepare for service as directors on corporate boards.

Ms. Liebenberg is an elected member of the American Law Institute and has written and lectured extensively on a wide range of subjects, including antitrust, class actions, consumer financial services litigation and expert witness testimony, and issues pertaining to gender, racial and ethnic fairness in the justice system.

Practice Areas

  • Antitrust
  • Class Actions
  • Complex Commercial Litigation
  • Employment Advice and Litigation
  • White Collar Criminal Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • Virginia, 1975
  • District of Columbia, 1976
  • Pennsylvania, 1980
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1980
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1980
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1984

Education

  • Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Washington, District of Columbia, 1975, J.D.
    Honors: magna cum laude
    Law Review: Notes Editor, Catholic University Law Review, 1975
  • University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1970, B.A.
    Honors: With Distinction

Representative Cases

  • Standard Iron Works v. ArcelorMittal, et al., 639 F. Supp. 2d 877 (N.D. Ill. 2009)
  • United States v. Stolt-Nielsen S.A., 524 F. Supp. 2d 609 (E.D. Pa. 2007)
  • Love Terminal Partners L.P. v. City of Dallas, 527 F. Supp. 2d 538 (N.D. Tex. 2007)
  • In re Urethane [Polyether Polyols] Antitrust Litig., 251 F.R.D. 629 (D. Kan. 2008)
  • In re Linerboard Antitrust Litigation, 305 F. 3d 145 (3d Cir. 2002)
  • In re Providian Financial Corp. Credit Card Terms Litigation, MDL 1301 (E.D. Pa. 2001)
  • Cullen v. Whitman Medical Corp., 197 F.R.D. 136 (E.D. Pa. 2000)
  • In re Polypropylene Carpet Antitrust Litigation, 93 F. Supp. 2d 1348 (N.D. Ga. 2000)

Published Works

  • Looking to Improve Outlook for Women Lawyers, Philadelphia Bar Reporter, Vol. 36, No. 2, February, 2007
  • Women Lawyers Make Transition to Boardroom, Philadelphia Bar Reporter, Vol. 34, No. 11, November, 2005
  • Assault on Bias: A Pennsylvania Supreme Court Committee Offers Concrete Steps to Improve System, Philadelphia Lawyer
  • Women-Owned Law Firms: An Alternative Practice Setting, ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, Perspectives, Vol. 8, No. 4, Winter, 2000
  • Civil Trial Practice Standards (Contributing Author), American Bar Association, Litigation Section, 1998
  • Trial Practice: The Large Case, Chapter 8, Leveraging with Legal Assistants, ABA Law Practice Management Section, 1993

Lectures/Seminars Taught

  • "Class Wars – Has the Standard for Class Certification Changed?" 1st Annual Great Lakes Intitrust Instutute, November 2009
  • "Plugging the Leaky Pipeline," Pennsylvania Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession, March 2009
  • "The Landscape of Women in the Law" and "Strategies For Forwarding Women's Advancement in the Legal Profession," Women's Power Summit on Law & Leadership, April 2009
  • "Practical Views and Advice on Experts," Philadelphia Bar Association, November 2005
  • "Communicating with Absent Class Members," Protecting Consumer Interests in Class Actions, FTC Conference, September 2004
  • Speaker, "Fundamentals of Antitrust Law," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, June 2004
  • Speaker, Women in Law Leadership Academy, American Bar Association Commission on Women, April 2004
  • "New Amendments to Rule 23," Philadelphia Bar Association, Federal Bench-Bar Conference, 2003
  • "Antitrust: Where Are We in 2002," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, October 16, 2002
  • Speaker, "The 6th Annual National Institute on Class Actions," American Bar Association, Section of Litigation and the Center for Continuing Legal Education, New York and Chicago, November, 2002
  • Speaker, ABA Summit on Women, August 2002
  • Speaker, "Winning by Persuasion–Voir Dire," American Bar Association, 2002
  • Speaker, "New Strategic and Ethical Challenges for Class Counsel," American Bar Association, Section of Litigation and the Center for Continuing Legal Education, May 2001
  • "Credit Card Litigation," Banking Law in the New Millennium, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2002
  • "Working With Your Experts: Practical Tips and Strategies," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 2001
  • "The Court's Application of Daubert to Proposed Expert Testimony in Antitrust Cases, and the New Amendments to Fed. R. Evid. 702 and 703," American Bar Association, Section of Litigation Annual Meeting, 2001
  • "Recent Developments in Credit Card Litigation," Consumer Financial Services Litigation, Practicing Law Institute, 2001
  • "Equal Treatment in the Courts," Professional Bar and Legal Departments of Corporate America, Delaware State Bar Association, 2000
  • "Rainmaking, Succeeding as a Woman Advocate," 1998
  • "Voluntary Disclosure Federal Discovery: Effective Strategy and Tactics," Philadelphia Bar Education Center, 1997
  • "Class Action Settlements," Financial Services Litigation, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 1996
  • "Monopolization," Antitrust Fundamentals, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 1995
  • "Private Enforcement of the Antitrust Laws - A Plaintiff's Perspective," Antitrust Challenges in the 90's, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 1995
  • "Third Circuit and Eastern District Cases Interpreting the Continuity Requirement Under 18 U.S.C. Section 1962(c)," RICO Update, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 1993

Honors and Awards

  • Sandra Day O'Connor Award, Philadelphia Bar Association, 2008
  • "Top Ten Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania," Philadelphia Magazine, 2008, 2009
  • "50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America," National Law Journal, 2007
  • Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania, 2006
  • Recipient, Lynette Norton Award, Pennsylvania Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession, 2003
  • "Women of Distinction," Philadelphia Business Journal, 2003
  • "Women Leaders in the Profession," Legal Intelligencer
  • "Top 50 Female Super Lawyers," Philadelphia Magazine, 2004–Present
  • "Top 100 Lawyers in Pennsylvania," Philadelphia Magazine, 2004–Present
  • Best Lawyers in America, Antitrust, 2006–Present
  • Chambers USA, Leading Lawyers, Antitrust, 2004–Present
  • Outstanding Service Award, ABA Commission on Women in the Profession
  • Community Legal Services, "Equal Justice Award", 2005
  • Advisory Board, Best Lawyers in America, 2006–Present
  • Fellow, American Bar Association
  • Fellow, Pennsylvania Bar Foundation

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Bar Association, 2006–2007, Chair, Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary
  • American Bar Association, 2005–2006, 3d Cir. Representative, Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary
  • American Bar Association, 2007–Present , Pennsylvania State Delegate, ABA House of Delegates
  • American Bar Association, 2003–2005, Board of Governors
  • American Bar Association, 2008–Present, Chair, Commission on Women in the Profession
  • American Bar Association, 2000–2003, Special Advisor, Commission on Women in the Profession
  • American Bar Association, 1999–2000, Vice Chair, Commission on Women in the Profession
  • American Bar Association, 2001–2003, Member, House of Delegates, Litigation Section
  • American Bar Association, 2001, Member of Council, Litigation Section
  • American Bar Association, Litigation Section, 1999–2001, Co-Chair, Strategic Planning & Implementation Task Force
  • American Bar Association, 1998–1999, Co-Director of Divisions, Litigation Section
  • American Bar Association, 1992–1994, Division Director, Litigation Section
  • American Bar Association, Litigation Section, 1990–1992, Co-Chair, Class Actions & Derivative Suits Committee
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2000–2003, Member, Board of Governors
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1995–Present, Member, House of Delegates
  • Interbranch Commission on Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness (Appointed by Supreme Court Justice Ronald Castille), 2004–Present, Chair, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Victims Committee
  • Pennsylvania Supreme Court Committee on Racial and Gender Bias in the Justice System, 2000–2003, Co-Chair, Gender Bias Committee
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1999, Co-Chair, Annual Meeting
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1995–1997, Chair, Commission on Women in the Profession
  • Philadelphia Bar Association, 2002–2007; 1993–1997, Co-Chair, Antitrust Committee
  • Philadelphia Bar Association, Co-Chair, Women in the Profession Committee, 2005-2007
  • Philadelphia Bar Association, Co-Chair, Committee on Gender, Racial and Ethnic Bias in the Justice System, 1998–2000
  • Philadelphia Bar Association, 1997–1999, Co-Chair, Task Force on Gender Fairness in the Civil Justice System
  • Philadelphia Bar Association, Investigative Division, 1996–Present, Member, Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention

Pro Bono Activities

  • Chair, Anti-Defamation League, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Region, 2007–2009
  • Board Member, Womens Way, 2001–2008
  • President, Abington Jr. High PTO, 1999–2001
  • Board Member, Montgomery County Women's Resource Center, 2000