About Saundra L.
Saundra L. Riley is an attorney at Fenwick & West LLP who concentrates her practice in the courts where she is admitted to appear. Her background combines early study in political science and French with a law degree earned in San Francisco. She brings a practical, courtroom-ready skill set to matters that move between state and federal dockets.
Riley completed her undergraduate studies at Gonzaga University, graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and French. She remained engaged in subjects that bridge public affairs and language study before enrolling at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. She earned her J.D. in 2001.
Her admissions include the State Bar of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Those credentials allow her to represent clients in both trial-level federal proceedings and appeals in the Ninth Circuit. At Fenwick & West LLP she has handled filings and appearances that require familiarity with federal procedure as well as California practice rules.
Colleagues describe her approach as methodical. She applies the analytical skills developed in law school and in her undergraduate work to case strategy and legal writing. Her command of French and her undergraduate focus on political structures inform how she evaluates evidence and frames arguments, particularly where regulatory or cross-jurisdictional issues arise.
Riley’s career path reflects a steady progression from law school into courtroom practice and federal admissions. Her role at Fenwick & West LLP places her among practitioners who regularly engage with complex pleadings, discovery disputes, and motion practice in both state and federal forums. She balances litigation responsibilities with the procedural demands of appellate matters when they come up.
She maintains memberships and admissions that enable her to operate across California and federal courts. Her current practice at Fenwick & West LLP centers on handling matters in the California and federal courts where she is admitted to appear.
