Partner Saina Shamilov Traces Her Rise to Patent Litigation Co-Chair

It’s the kind of inspiring, all-American immigrant story that makes us great. Speaking with Law.com's The Recorder, partner Saina Shamilov recently traced her journey to patent litigation co-chair—from fleeing religious oppression, to developing unique expertise and technical skill as a software engineer, to finding her voice as a litigator for some of the world’s most innovative tech and life sciences companies.

“What I believe really makes a difference is developing the capacity to connect with your own humanity and empathize with the humanity of others. My experience is that teams are at their best when they feel inspired to seek excellence in what they do, and not just follow instructions on what needs to be done.”

While she was still mastering English, Saina earned a degree in computer science, cultivating the technical know-how and personal adaptability that differentiates so many of Fenwick’s top-tier lawyers.

“That period was formative as a litigator, but it also taught me critical life lessons about my capacity to grow,” she said. “They call it a growth mindset today, but back then, it just felt like what I had to do to survive; I had to reinvent myself more than once on my journey.”

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