Benjamin K. "Ben" Riley

Benjamin K. "Ben" Riley

San Francisco, CA recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021
Bartko Pavia LLP

4 Best Lawyers awards

Bartko Pavia LLP logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Arbitration Commercial Litigation Litigation - Patent

Biography

Ben Riley is a Principal of the firm and serves on its Executive Committee. He has tried nearly 30 cases to verdict including jury trials, court trials, and complex arbitrations. His practice focuses on Intellectual Property Litigation, including patents, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks and license disputes. He also has an active practice in Business Litigation, including class action defense, defense of “consumer claims” under the Lanham Act and unfair competition statutes, accounting issues, and real property litigation.

Mr. Riley also represents companies in connection with director and officer, securities, fiduciary duty, and internal investigation issues, and obtained a defense verdict in a six-week securities class action jury trial. Finally, Mr. Riley represents private clients and charities in Trust and Estate Litigation.

Mr. Riley is ranked by Chambers as among the top 13 California attorneys in Intellectual Property Litigation: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets. Chambers writes: “Benjamin Riley is ‘very organized, writes beautifully and is great in front of judges,’ report sources, further noting: ‘He's very bright, quick to grasp technical and legal issues, and he's very efficient.’ He is an experienced practitioner skilled in handling a broad range of contentious IP matters. He is particularly highlighted for his expertise in trade secret disputes.”

Mr. Riley has lectured and published extensively as to Intellectual Property, Business Litigation, Trust & Estate Litigation, and trial practice skills. He is an expert in commercial arbitration law and procedure and regularly handles important cases before the world’s leading arbitration forums. He also has an active practice as a Mediator for the Northern District of California and for private litigants.

Bartko Pavia LLP

4 Best Lawyers awards

Bartko Pavia LLP logo

Overview

  • University of California Berkeley, J.D., graduated 1983
  • Dartmouth College, A.B. Cum Laude (History), graduated 1979

  • California, The State Bar of California 12/12/1983

  • American Bar Association - Memeber
  • American Bar Foundation - Fellow
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Northern California - Past President
  • Bar Association of San Francisco - Member
  • Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow 2016
  • McFetridge Inn of Court - Master
  • California, The State Bar of California 12/12/1983
  • American Bar Association - Memeber
  • American Bar Foundation - Fellow
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Northern California - Past President
  • Bar Association of San Francisco - Member
  • Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow 2016
  • McFetridge Inn of Court - Master
  • University of California Berkeley, J.D., graduated 1983
  • Dartmouth College, A.B. Cum Laude (History), graduated 1979

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Arbitration
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation - Patent
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Antitrust Law
  • Appellate Practice
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Communications Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Criminal Defense: General Practice
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Litigation - Securities
  • Trusts and Estates
Special Focus:
  • Business Litigation
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Patent Litigation
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Trade Secret Litigation
  • Trademark, Copyright and Technology Licensing Litigation
  • Trust And Estate Litigation
Awards:
  • California Lawyer of the Year.
  • 1998-2022, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review, AV Rating, 5 Stars.
  • 2004-2022 Northern California Super Lawyers.
  • 2019-2022 Ranked in Chambers.
  • 2021-2022 Best Lawyers.

Additional Information

  • Article
71 Calif. L. Rev. 218, 1983-The Fireman's Rule: Defining Its. Scope Using the Cost-Spreading. Rationale.
  • Article
ABTL Northern California Report, Vol. 14, No. 3 (Summer 2005)-Tips For A Successful Arbitration.
  • Article
ABA Business Torts Journal, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Spring/Summer 2008)-Three Pitfalls for Trade Secret Plaintiffs.
  • Article
San Francisco Daily Journal 11/22/2008-Secrets Service.
  • Article
Fortune, 2/17/2011-Three legal lessons for startups.
  • Article
Litigation Magazine, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Winter 2015), at 51-How Not to Regret Your Direct: Exploring the Human Story.
  • Article
San Francisco Daily Journal 5/13/2016-Defend Trade Secrets Act: Signed, Sealed, Delivered.
  • Article
9 Litigation Commentary & Review (January/February 2017)-“Catch the Conscience!” — Scripting a Winning Opening Statement.
  • Article
Litigation Magazine, Vol. 43, No. 3 (Spring 2017), at 47-Trying a Trade Secret Case: A Road Map.
  • Article
Bartko, Zankel, Bunzel & Miller Alert 6/2017-President Signs Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016.
  • Article
Litigation Magazine, Vol. 45, No. 4 (Summer 2019), at 12 -Sometimes It Pays to Opt for a Jury in Business Disputes. Co-Author Robert Bunzel.
  • Article
San Francisco Daily Journal 9/20/2019-Theodore Roosevelt and The "Virginian".
  • Article
San Francisco Daily Journal 11/15/2019-Saving the Japanese YWCA building.
  • Article
San Francisco Daily Journal 9/28/2021, Filing vaccine injury claims under the federal vaccine injury act.
  • Law Journal Press Treaties
Calculating and Proving Damages 2011-Chapter 9, “Trade Secret Damages,”.
  • Presentation
Euroadvocaten Semi-Annual Legal Conference-Global reach of Bartko, Zankel, Bunzel & Miller Law Firm, 11/2016.

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