Ariel Rief

Before opening Rief Legal, Ariel Rief was a criminal prosecutor—a Deputy District Attorney for Santa Barbara County (2011-2012) and Amador County (2012-2015)—where I was in court on a daily basis and worked closely with law enforcement agencies to successfully secure hundreds of convictions each year in a wide range of misdemeanor and felony cases.

As a DA, I gained not only valuable jury trial experience, but also a behind-the-scenes knowledge of the working challenges that law enforcement and prosecutors face in criminal prosecutions—a knowledge that now, as a criminal defense attorney, provides me a unique and advantageous perspective when advising clients, negotiating with the DA’s Office, and ultimately fighting cases that require trial.

EDUCATION:

• J.D., University of San Diego School of Law
• B.A., University of California, Los Angeles

ADMISSIONS:

• State Bar of California
• United States District Court – Southern District of California

MEMBERSHIPS:

• State Bar of California
• San Mateo County Bar Association (SMCBA)
• SMCBA Criminal Law Section, Co-Chair
• California Public Defenders Association

CLERKSHIPS:

• San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
• United States Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division, Major Frauds Section (San Diego, CA)
• San Diego City Attorney’s Office, Civil Division