After receiving my bachelor's degree from UCLA, I briefly worked at a mortgage brokerage in San Diego. I was appalled by fraudulent business practices in the industry, so I left to attend the University of San Diego School of Law in pursuit of becoming an attorney, seeking a more suitable role to hopefully help people and earn an honest living.

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In law school, I quickly found my passion for trial advocacy. I received the top grade in my Criminal Law, Legal Research & Writing, and Negotiations courses while clerking at the U.S. Attorney's Office - Southern District of California, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office (twice), the San Diego City Attorney's Office, and a leading plaintiff's civil litigation firm, all of which introduced me to courtroom litigation. I was also active in Mock Trial, winning First Place in three consecutive tournaments and competing nationally.

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After law school, I started my career as a prosecutor. I worked in two different D.A.'s Offices (in Santa Barbara and Amador Counties) for almost four years gaining significant criminal law experience and prosecuted high volumes of felony and misdemeanor cases. I later moved to the Bay Area and initially accepted a job as trial counsel at a civil consumer protection firm specializing in breach of warranty (lemon law) and auto fraud cases. I left the firm to open my own criminal defense law office. I also quickly inherited an extensive public defender caseload through the San Mateo County Private Defender Program, representing clients without financial means for a lawyer. Over the next several years, I gained significant experience in criminal defense, which included complicated cases (e.g., murder, three strikes, and multi-million-dollar embezzlement). I gained a substantial track record of success in the courtroom as a trial lawyer and achieved a strong reputation as an effective negotiator.

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After seven years of private criminal defense practice, I accepted the position of Trial Counsel at a San Francisco-based tenants' rights law firm for a year, becoming a full-time civil litigator. The role provided a terrific education into landlord-tenant law, which I now incorporate as one of my main practice areas.​ I ultimately left the firm and reopened my private practice, which handles, in addition to tenant rights' cases, consumer rights cases, as well as criminal / DUI defense cases (my roots), albeit on a much more reduced scale than the prior iteration of my law office.

 

I founded Rief Legal, P.C. to be the kind of law office I would want to retain if I or a loved one needed legal help. I strive to be approachable, honest, and clear with clients. And I aim to provide high-end personalized legal services at a fair price. I also strive to pull back the curtain for clients so that they fully understand the legal strategies and dynamics of their case.

 

It is a privilege to be an attorney. My mission for all clients, no matter where you're from, is to assist you with compassion, straightforwardness, transparency, effective case strategy, and pragmatic solutions to prevail in your case and move forward in life.

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