About William A.
William A. Fenwick graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Law with a B.S. in Business Management in 1964 and received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1967. He completed his formal legal training during a period of rapid change in the profession. Those academic years set the stage for a long career in courts at several levels.
Over the years he has been admitted to practice in California and in numerous federal courts. His admissions include the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Tax Court, the Federal Circuit and the appellate circuits for the 2nd, 7th and 9th Circuits. He also appears in district courts across California, including the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts. That range of admissions speaks to work that crosses trial and appellate lines and touches both federal and state procedure.
Court practice has involved matters that require familiarity with appellate briefing and the procedures of specialized tribunals. Admission to the U.S. Tax Court indicates engagement with tax litigation or litigation that implicates federal tax questions. Admission to multiple circuit courts and the Supreme Court points to appellate experience, whether arguing issues of law or handling complex procedural appeals.
He is associated with Fenwick & West LLP. At the firm he has operated in the environment of a large law practice where federal litigation, appellate work and regulatory matters intersect. His background in business management from Southern Illinois University and his Vanderbilt law degree give him a foundation in both commercial concepts and legal doctrine. That combination is useful when cases require attention to financial detail as well as legal strategy.
Colleagues and opposing counsel have encountered him across a variety of court settings. He is a presence in both trial-level federal courts in California and in higher appellate tribunals. He has maintained a practice that spans courtroom advocacy, filings before appellate courts, and appearances in specialized federal fora. He currently works at Fenwick & West LLP and handles litigation and appellate matters in the federal and state courts where he is admitted to practice.
