About Liwen A.
Liwen A. Mah earned her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2005 after completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of California, Berkeley in 1994. Her undergraduate degree was in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, a program that emphasized systems thinking and quantitative problem solving. The two degrees link a technical undergraduate education with formal legal training, a combination that has shaped how she approaches legal work.
After law school, Mah entered practice in California. She is admitted to the California bar and practices at Fenwick & West LLP. Her career has been built within the state’s legal landscape, where she has worked on matters that require attention to detail and a methodical approach. Her record shows steady engagement in private practice rather than in public office or academia.
The engineering background informs her legal reasoning. She uses analytical frameworks that mirror those taught in operations research: define the problem, model possible outcomes, and weigh trade-offs. That mindset translates into careful drafting, strategic planning and an emphasis on clarity in client communications. Colleagues describe her approach as methodical and focused on practical solutions rather than abstract theory.
Within the firm setting, Mah has taken on responsibilities typical for a lawyer advising corporate and technology-sector clients. She works inside teams that handle transactional matters, contract negotiation and regulatory questions. Her work requires translating technical concepts into legal terms and vice versa. That translation is an everyday skill for someone who began in engineering and moved into law.
Outside client work, Mah’s path reflects a steady professional development. She returned to Berkeley for both degrees, which gives her a long-standing connection to the Bay Area legal and business communities. That continuity has helped her understand the lifecycle of technology companies, from early product design through commercial scaling.
She practices at Fenwick & West LLP, where her practice centers on advising clients on legal matters. The combination of an engineering undergraduate degree and a law degree from Berkeley contributes to a practice that emphasizes structured analysis and clear, pragmatic advice.
