About M. Wainwright
M. Wainwright Fishburn trained first as an undergraduate at the University of Arizona and completed his law degree at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco in 1981. That degree marks the start of a long career in the law. He has worked across state and federal systems and built experience over more than four decades since graduating from law school.
After earning his J.D., Fishburn established practice credentials in multiple jurisdictions. He is admitted to practice in Arizona and California and is also admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Those credentials have allowed him to handle matters across state lines and in the federal forum that serves the southern portion of California.
Fishburn has held a partnership at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP. In that role he operated at partner level responsibilities, advising clients and overseeing matters that required coordination across lawyers and often across state boundaries. His long tenure in private practice has involved management and client-facing work typical of a law firm partner, including legal strategy, supervision and courtroom representation where appropriate.
Colleagues describe him as steady and clear in his approach to legal questions. He came of age in practice at a time of significant change in both California and Arizona law. Over the years he has navigated shifting regulatory and procedural landscapes while maintaining an active license in more than one jurisdiction. That continuity has been a through line in his career and has shaped how he approaches new matters when they arise.
Outside the courtroom and the office, Fishburn has maintained professional ties within the bar and the broader legal community. He is listed as current in association records and has continued to meet the obligations that membership in professional organizations requires. His educational background, multi-jurisdictional admissions and partnership experience give a picture of a lawyer who has practiced steadily since the early 1980s.
He currently focuses his practice on legal matters arising in Arizona and California, including work that brings state and federal issues together.
