The Seattle Mariners have announced that Fred Rivera has been named Executive Vice President, General Counsel for the ball club. Rivera comes to the Mariners from Perkins Coie, where he was Managing Partner of the firm’s Seattle office.
Rivera officially joins the Mariners today and is now responsible for overseeing all of the Club’s legal affairs, both in the baseball and business operations of the franchise. He also oversees government relations at the federal, state and local levels.
“Fred brings a wealth of experience in all aspects of the law, and an insider’s perspective of the game of baseball. We are fortunate to have been able to lure him away from one of the top firms in the nation to join the Mariners executive team,” said Kevin Mather, Seattle Mariners President and COO.
Rivera began his career in 1993 as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He joined Perkins Coie in 1998 and spent 18 years with the firm. He also served two years as Vice President in charge of internal investigations at Fannie Mae (2006-2008). During his career, Rivera has represented clients in a wide range of business disputes and government investigations, including in the financial services, real estate and retail industries. Rivera was selected for recognition in the 2013 U.S. News-Best Lawyers in America® list. He is a past president of the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington and was a trustee with the King County Bar Association. Rivera is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Downtown Seattle Association, ArtsFund and United Way of King County.
He previously served on the boards of The Martinez Foundation, The Rotary Boys & Girls Club and the South Puget Sound Housing Center. He was a member of the Leadership Tomorrow Class of 2006.
Rivera, who is a native of the Los Angeles area, graduated from Cal State Northridge in 1990. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Gonzaga School of Law in 1993.
A passionate baseball fan, Rivera was an All-League pitcher in high school, and played baseball at Santa Monica College. He also coached for two years at the high school level at Bel Air Prep in Los Angeles. Rivera coached a Seattle Select team that won the state 13U championship, and his 12U team placed fifth out of 120 teams at a tournament in Cooperstown, New York. Rivera still plays competitively in the Puget Sound Senior Baseball league. He is also a member of the ownership group of the AAA Tacoma Rainiers.
