**Magistrate Judge Lisa J. Cisneros** serves in the Northern District of California in San Francisco. Judge Cisneros brings fifteen years of legal experience across civil rights enforcement, class action litigation, and legal services for low-income communities. She clerked for Senior District Judge Claudia Wilken in this court, practiced at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, and co-founded the LGBT Program at California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. She has served on the California Fair Employment & Housing Council by gubernatorial appointment and has provided pro bono representation in matters before federal circuit courts and the Supreme Court. **Education** - UC Berkeley School of Law, J.D. - Brown University, B.A. (graduated with honors) **Career** - Law Clerk to Hon. Claudia Wilken, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California - Attorney, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP (mass tort, class action, and antitrust cases) - Co-Founder/Director, LGBT Program at California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. - Deputy Attorney General, California Department of Justice, Civil Rights Enforcement Section - Member, California Fair Employment & Housing Council (gubernatorial appointment) - Board Member, National Center for Lesbian Rights
**Courthouse:** 450 Golden Gate Ave, 16th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102 **Chambers:** Courtroom G, 15th Floor **Phone:** (415) 522-2043 **Chambers Staff** - Courtroom Deputy/Calendar Clerk: ljccrd@cand.uscourts.gov
Courtesy copies are required when a filing is > 50 pages. Details: 1 copy, delivery within 48 hours, by hand delivery. Chambers copies required for filings over 50 pages that require court action.
Yes. A pre-motion letter is required for covered motions. Meet and confer required before filing any motion or non-stipulated request, with certification of compliance.
Judge Lisa J. Cisneros' rule states these limits: 25 pages. Summary judgment motions limited to one per side, not to exceed 25 pages.
Judge Lisa J. Cisneros' rule states these limits: 5 pages. Joint letters limited to 5 pages, 12-point font, single-spaced, 1-inch margins.
Judge Lisa J. Cisneros' formatting rule includes file format PDF, text-searchable, and text-to-speech compatible. Electronic filings must be text-searchable PDFs compatible with text-to-speech readers.
The rule requires privilege or form objections only. Deposition objections limited to privilege or form only; speaking objections prohibited.
The rule requires certificate of service, legal argument, and statement of facts. Settlement conference statement due 7 days before conference
Parties may contact Judge Lisa J. Cisneros' chambers by email only as allowed by the rule. The rule lists email ljccrd@cand.uscourts.gov. Emergency discovery disputes require email to courtroom deputy before calling.
Judge Lisa J. Cisneros's rules specify what an adjournment or extension request must include. The request must include reason for request and adversary position. Settlement conference continuance requests must be filed on ECF with compelling reason and other party's position.
Yes. Judge Lisa J. Cisneros's rules include a junior lawyer participation incentive. Junior lawyers (under 5 years) encouraged to argue motions and participate in conferences.
Meet and confer required before filing any motion or non-stipulated request, with certification of compliance.
Failure to oppose a motion may be construed as consent to granting the motion unopposed.
Summary judgment motions limited to one per side, not to exceed 25 pages.
AI tools permitted for brief preparation but parties remain fully responsible for accuracy.
Joint letters limited to 5 pages, 12-point font, single-spaced, 1-inch margins.
Individual letters (max 2 pages) allowed when joint letter not possible.
Discovery dispute exhibits limited to 25 pages without leave.
Deposition objections limited to privilege or form only; speaking objections prohibited.
Witness must answer privilege-related questions unless privileged.
Private conferences between deponents and attorneys prohibited except for privilege determination.
Emergency discovery disputes require email to courtroom deputy before calling.
Settlement Conference Statements and Confidential Settlement Letters must be emailed to ljcsettlement@cand.uscourts.gov.
Electronic filings must be text-searchable PDFs compatible with text-to-speech readers.
Communication with Judge Cisneros or staff limited to open court or ECF filings.
Administrative clarification requests may be emailed to courtroom deputy with opposing counsel cc’d.
Last-minute contact with courtroom deputy allowed at ljccrd@cand.uscourts.gov or (415) 522-2043.
Meet and confer required 14 days before settlement conference
Settlement conference statement due 7 days before conference
Court may allow Zoom-only or partial Zoom attendance for settlement conferences.
Settlement conference statement limited to 10 pages, exhibits to 20 pages
Confidential settlement letter due 7 days before conference
Confidential settlement letter limited to 5 pages
Lead trial counsel and parties with full settlement authority must attend settlement conference.
Corporations must send representative with full settlement authority (up to opposing party's demand/offer).
If settlement authority cannot be delegated, designate representative to recommend tentative agreements to governing body.
Zoom attendance requests must be made at pre-settlement conference or well in advance.
Government entities must send representative with settlement authority and knowledge of entity's policies.
When government sues on behalf of individuals, at least one individual must attend settlement conference.
Insured parties must bring carrier representative with full authority to negotiate up to coverage limits.
Representatives requiring consultation before settlement do not have full authority.