Amy F. Sorenson, Partner at our Salt Lake City, San Diego, and Las Vegas law offices
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Amy F. Sorenson

Partner
Biography

Amy Sorenson is a nationally recognized civil litigator with over two decades of experience in the federal and state courts of Utah, Nevada, and California. With a collaborative approach and an energizing presence, Amy has led high profile matters ranging from complex business litigation to federal Constitutional and statutory “bet-the-company” challenges and beyond. A trusted advisor to business both in and out of the courtroom, Amy also has led and resolved difficult internal investigations matters. Her industry-specific knowledge includes financial services, higher education, and sports and technology.

Driven by a strong sense of duty and service, Amy has never shied away from a challenge she believes in. Amy’s leadership includes serving on the firm’s Expanded Executive Committee, acting as Co-Chair of the Financial Services Litigation Practice Group, and founding and leading the Snell & Wilmer Women’s Initiative, which aims to support the career development of Snell & Wilmer’s women attorneys. For her community, Amy is proud to have served as Co-Chair of the Utah State Bar Access to Justice Commission since 2018 and to have led the most recent Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the United States District Court for the District of Utah.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • Nevada
  • Utah


Court Admissions

  • Supreme Court of California
  • Supreme Court of Nevada
  • Supreme Court of Utah
  • United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • United States District Court, All Districts of California
  • United States District Court, District of Nevada
  • United States District Court, District of Utah
  • United States Supreme Court


Education

  • University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law (J.D.)
    • California Public Employee Relations Journal, Berkeley, California
    • Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award, White Collar Crime
    • Recipient, Dragonette Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Civil Litigation Trial Practice
    • Recipient, Prosser Prize, Civil Trial Practice
  • Yale University (B.A., English, cum laude, with distinction)
Experience

Awards & Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Commercial Litigation (2014-2016, 2018-2025)
    • Bet-the-Company Litigation (2024-2025)
    • Banking and Finance Litigation (2024-2025)
  • Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business®, Litigation: General Commercial (2017-2024)
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers®
    • Civil Litigation: Defense (2013-2024)
    • Top 50 Women Lawyers (2014-2015, 2018-2024)
    • Top 100 (2018, 2021-2024)
    • Rising Stars Edition (2012)
  • Utah Business Magazine Utah’s Legal Elite
    • Civil Litigation (2007-2009, 2012-2015, 2017-2019, 2021-2022)
    • Commercial Litigation (2020)
  • Distinguished Service Award, Federal Bar Association, Utah State Bar (2021)
  • Top Rated Lawyer in Technology, The American Lawyer & Corporate Counsel (2013)

Representative Experience

Financial Services

  • Regularly represents lenders and loan servicers in regional mortgage foreclosure and consumer financial litigation cases and defense programs addressing pattern litigation
  • Defended institutional trustee in breach of trust, failure to diversify probate assets claims
  • Represented fintech company in putative class claims concerning appraisal management fees in loan origination
  • Represented financial institution in federal False Claims Act lawsuit and on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Defended national servicer in multi-district litigation concerning mortgage and deed of trust assignments and foreclosure rights
  • Represented financial institution secured creditor on multifamily properties in federal SEC receivership concerning Ponzi scheme allegations

Business Litigation

  • Regularly represents global technology company in litigation concerning Constitutional challenges to state statutes
  • Regularly represents university in litigation matters and on appeal concerning state and federal governmental immunity, sovereign immunity and related Constitutional issues
  • Represented interstate luxury rail service provider in declaratory judgment action concerning preemption of local permitting processes under federal law
  • Represented multifamily property management company in federal lawsuit involving Lanham Act, unfair competition, intentional interference, and breach of fiduciary duty claims
  • Represented global media company in litigation concerning software implementation and breach of contract, fraud, concealment claims and counterclaims under California law
  • Represented commercial property owner and manager in appeal of personal injury punitive damages judgment in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on federal due process grounds
  • Represented global technology company in federal court involving breach of contract and copyright infringement claims concerning open source code

Previous Professional Experience

  • Latham & Watkins, Associate, San Francisco, CA (1997-2000)

Professional Memberships and Activities

  • University of Utah S. J. Quinney College of Law, Adjunct Professor (2021-2022)
  • Network of Trial Law Firms, Executive Committee (2018-Present)
    • President (2021-2022)
  • Chair, Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel, United States District Court, District of Utah, Northern Region (2018-2020)
  • Co-Chair, Utah State Bar Convention (2017)
  • International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) (2017-Present)
  • Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow (2009-Present)
  • Salt Lake County Bar Association, President (2014-2015)
  • Federal Bar Association, Utah Chapter, President (2010)
  • Women Lawyers of Utah

Community Involvement

  • Utah Access to Justice Commission, Co-Chair (2018-Present)
  • Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake, President, Board of Directors, Executive Committee (2004-2018)

Representative Presentations and Publications

  • Why Utah’s Legal Aid Crisis Needs Immediate Attention,” Quoted, Utah Business Magazine (June 25, 2024)
  • “Sustainability, Risk & Opportunity: Impacts of ESG in Banking,” Moderator, Snell & Wilmer Virtual CLE (December 14, 2023)
  • “Internal Investigations and Regulatory Scrutiny – Navigating the Minefield,” Panel Moderator, Snell & Wilmer Corporate Counsel Forum (September 30, 2023)
  • “Thoughtful Planning of Remote Proceedings and Services,” Panelist, Court Technology Conference, Phoenix, Arizona (September 12, 2023)
  • “Soundbites: Short Class Action Lessons Over Lunch,” Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Virtual CLE (July 12, 2023)
  • “The Federal False Claims Act: Civil War Statute, Present Day Penalties,” Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Virtual CLE Series (June 8, 2021)
  • The Federal False Claims Act: Civil War Statute, Present Day Penalties,” Episode Host, CalCurrent Podcast (April 1, 2021)
  • “Hindsight Is 2020: Looking Ahead to Loan Workouts, Financial Litigation Trends and More,” Presenter, Colorado Bankers Association Webinar (December 16, 2020)
  • Nev. Lenders Must Brace For The Next Wave Of Foreclosures,” Co-Author, Law360 (October 6, 2020)
  • “Internal Investigations – Culture, Process, Ethics,” Panel Moderator, Snell & Wilmer Corporate Counsel Forum (March 2019)
  • “In-House Counsel Pro Bono Programs: Overcoming Practical Issues and Addressing Ethical Concerns,” Presenter, Network of Trial Law Firms CLE, New York, NY (August 2018)
  • “The Second Labor of Hercules – Battling Government Investigations,” Panel Moderator, Network of Trial Law Firms CLE, Laguna Beach, CA (April 2018)
  • “Law Firm Management: Attracting and Retaining the Right Talent,” Panel Speaker, Women Lawyers of Utah, Advancement Pledge Series (February 2018)
  • “After the Worst Happens: The Punitive Damages Award on Appeal”, Speaker, Network of Trial Law Firms Litigation Management Supercourse, Kiawah Island, SC (October 2016)
  • “Punitives Slashed in Wyoming Carbon Monoxide Case: In a win for tort reformers, an appellate court embraces a 1-1 ratio of punitive compensatory damages,” Featured, The American Lawyer (May 2016)
  • “How Do Law Firms Retain Women, and Why It Matters,” Panel Speaker, Utah State Bar 2016 Spring Convention, St. George, UT (March 11, 2016)
  • “Arbitration Agreements and Practice from a Litigator’s Perspective,” Panel Moderator, Snell & Wilmer Corporate Counsel Forum (March 24, 2015)
  • Trial Academy (Faculty), Utah State Bar Fall Forum (November 21, 2014)