Areas of Practice
Industries
Bar Admissions
- Texas
- California
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Education
Pepperdine University School of Law, J.D., 2012
University of Dallas, B.A., Political Philosophy, 2009
Mr. Riley is a deeply experienced litigator who has been trusted to litigate high-stakes cases in state and federal courts throughout Texas, with an emphasis on business disputes, real estate litigation, and appellate matters.
Mr. Riley has successfully served as lead counsel in trial court litigation and has been the lead drafter on winning briefs before the Texas Supreme Court and Texas Courts of Appeals. In addition, Mr. Riley has wide-ranging experience in white collar criminal defense. Many of Mr. Riley’s cases have been covered by major media.
Some examples of Mr. Riley’s work include:
- Securing a $40 million payment for and the dismissal of a lawsuit brought against the real estate developer of the Toyota Music Factory located in Irving, Texas.
- Defeating a lawsuit brought against a major real estate developer by a homeowners’ association that sought to halt the construction of a 253-unit multifamily development.
- Representing a federally indicted executive in the Forest Park Medical Center trial—one of the largest and most publicized criminal trials in the history of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
- Prevailing before the Texas Supreme Court in securing a litigation victory for a major real estate developer.
- Successfully obtaining temporary restraining orders on an emergency basis in numerous cases.
- Serving a prestigious secondment with JPMorgan Chase to assist in-house counsel with the management of a significant amount of litigation cases throughout numerous states.
- Obtaining favorable outcomes in numerous trade secret misappropriation cases, ranging from clients in finance to the the oil and gas industry.
Beyond these significant cases, Mr. Riley has also litigated numerous lawsuits involving: limited liability company membership and partnership disputes; arbitration proceedings; breach of contract; breach of fiduciary duties; patent and trademark disputes; and non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure agreements. Mr. Riley has also represented high-net worth individuals in a unique array of professional and personal matters.
Prior to joining Dykema, Mr. Riley served as a law clerk for the Honorable William F. Kuntz, II in the Eastern District of New York. As a federal law clerk in New York City, Mr. Riley gained a trove of experience in high-dollar litigation and high-profile criminal matters. While at Pepperdine School of Law, Mr. Riley served as the Managing Editor of the Pepperdine Law Review, represented the law school on the competition Moot Court Team, and earned Dean’s List honors and “CALI” awards for the highest grade earned in numerous courses.
Experience
- Chair, Texas Subcommittee, Dykema Associates Committee
- Member, Dykema Technology Committee
Publications
- Voir Dire and Jury Selection, co-authorFebruary 24, 2017Dallas Bar Association, Trial Academy
- Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts, Third Edition, editor to Referees and Special Masters Chapter
- Class Action Compendium, co-author Cliff P. Riley, Defense Research Institute, Texas Chapter2015
- "A Tale of Two Rights: Deconstructing the Right to Silence in the Curious Case of Berghuis v. Thompkins," by Cliff P. Riley, Holy Cross Journal of Law & Public PolicyJuly 3, 2012
News
Press Releases
- January 6, 2021
- February 4, 2015
Memberships & Involvement
- Managing Editor, Pepperdine Law Review
- State Bar of Texas
- State Bar of California
- Dallas Bar Association – Commercial Litigation Section Member
- Texas Young Lawyers Association – Member
Community/Civic Activities
- Director, Board of Directors, Non-Profit Juntos Clothing, Co.
- Pro Bono Counsel, the Kathyln Joy Gilliam Museum
- Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program Volunteer
Awards & Recognition
- Named a "Best Lawyer Under 40" by D Magazine, 2021