Emily Riff

Emily Riff is an associate in the Denver office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department, with a particular focus on class actions and complex civil litigation.

Emily has substantial experience representing clients at the trial and appellate level. In the technology space, she has litigated high-profile matters for clients in a range of cutting-edge cases, including many involving Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act as well as other theories of liability under ever-changing state and federal law. Emily has also represented companies involving claims related to consumer protection, particularly in high-stakes and multi-jurisdictional class actions, and has developed comprehensive strategies to address novel theories of liability and to leverage the procedural complexities involved in these multi-jurisdictional matters. In addition to litigating these matters, she also provides counseling and advice to clients on a wide range of environmental, social, and governance issues.

Representative Law and Technology Experience

• Representing a software company in litigation in federal district court in Illinois, Texas, and state court in Washington in connection with claims related to human trafficking.
• Representing a leading social media company before the Texas Supreme Court, and federal district court in the Northern District of California for allegations related to human trafficking.
• Representing a prominent social media company before the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits in connection with claims that the company’s platform contributed to terrorist attacks.
• Secured a motion to dismiss in multi-district litigation against a leading software company accused of facilitating human trafficking.
• Represented a large home mortgage company in a trade secrets dispute.

Representative Complex Civil and Class Action Experience

• Representing a leading consumer goods manufacturer in connection with public nuisance litigation related to global marine plastic pollution.
• Representing a prominent insurance company in multiple class actions related to breach of contract and conversion claims.
• Representing a supplement manufacturer in class action related to allegations of consumer deception.
• Secured a dismissal of claims under California’s Proposition 65 against a leading food and beverage manufacturer in California state court.
• Secured a stay under the primary jurisdiction doctrine in a class action related to allegations of consumer deception.
• Represented a financial technology company in a lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission for alleged deceptive and unfair practices.

In addition, Emily maintains an active pro bono practice. In her work protecting prisoners’ rights, she recently secured a victory at the Seventh Circuit for a mentally ill inmate who was denied counsel after prison officials failed to treat the inmate’s schizophrenia and also represents a former inmate in a First Amendment lawsuit against prison officials who denied the inmate his request for kosher meals, where she recently secured the reversal of summary judgment in favor of the prison officials. Emily also represented a not-for-profit media organization before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for District of Columbia, and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in connection with bringing a First Amendment challenge seeking to unseal contempt proceedings. Emily also represented a women’s health organization in an appeal to the United States Supreme Court.

Prior to joining the firm, Emily served as a law clerk to the Honorable Paul J. Watford of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law where she served as Notes Development Editor on the Virginia Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Before law school, Emily worked for a Member of the United States Senate and a Member of the United States House of Representatives. She received her B.A. with high honors in government from Smith College where she was elected Phi Beta Kappa.

Emily is admitted to practice in the State of Colorado and is a member of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association.

Capabilities

• Litigation
• Appellate and Constitutional Law
• Class Actions
• Environmental Litigation and Mass Tort
• Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
• Insurance and Reinsurance
• Media, Entertainment, and Technology
• Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation
• Tech and Innovation
• Transnational Litigation

Credentials

Education:

• University of Virginia - 2016 Juris Doctor
• Smith College - 2008 Bachelor of Arts

Admissions:

• Colorado Bar

Clerkships:

• US Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, Hon. Paul J. Watford, 2016 - 2017