About David Lee
David Lee Fiol graduated from Cornell University in 1978 with a B.A. in Government and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1988, where he studied trial practice and litigation. Those formative years set the tone for a career that has moved between trial courts and appellate benches. The mix of government study and intensive trial training at Harvard appears in his work over four decades.
He began his legal career in New York, serving as a legislative aide to the New York State Assembly in 1984 before entering private practice. After law school he joined Kreindler & Kreindler as an associate in 1988. He moved into plaintiffs’ litigation at Lieff Cabraser, where he returned in 1999 and then worked at Lieff Global in 2006. His time at Brayton Purcell as an appellate lawyer in 2003 added a distinct appellate dimension to his résumé. In 2008 he became a partner at Brent, Fiol & Pratt LLP.
Fiol holds bar admissions in New York and California. He was admitted to the New York bar in 1989 and to the California bar in 1999. Those dual admissions reflect a bi-coastal practice that has included both trial work and appeals. Colleagues and case records show him moving between written appellate briefs and courtroom presentations. His background at firms known for complex litigation contributed to that range.
Throughout his career he has handled matters that require both courtroom presence and appellate briefing. He is comfortable taking a case through all stages: initial investigation, dispositive motion practice, trial, and any necessary appeals. His experience at an appellate-focused firm sharpened his command of legal writing and record development. Earlier work in public service gave him some exposure to legislative processes and public policy questions.
Fiol splits his time between the firm’s main office and its Southern California office. He has been a member of the New York State Bar since 1989 and the California State Bar since 1999, and both memberships remain current. He practices civil litigation across trial and appellate levels and handles matters that require sustained advocacy in court and on the record.
