About James
A member of the trial bar for over 50 years, Jim has unparalleled experience and skill in preparing and presenting cases for adjudication – whether by jury, judge, arbitrator, mediator or the parties themselves. He represents Silicon Valley companies with commercial, trade secret and intellectual property issues. Jim also represents individuals in a wide variety of matters, including civil rights actions, employment disputes, family law and criminal defense.
A member of the trial bar for over 50 years, Jim has unparalleled experience and skill in preparing and presenting cases for adjudication – whether by jury, judge, arbitrator, mediator or the parties themselves. He represents Silicon Valley companies with commercial, trade secret and intellectual property issues. Jim also represents individuals in a wide variety of matters, including civil rights actions, employment disputes, family law and criminal defense.
Practice Areas
Case History
Professional Affiliations
Awards & Recognition
- Lawyer of the Year: Criminal Defense: White-Collar, San Jose (2020)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Intellectual Property, San Jose (2014)
- Recognized: Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Recognized: Commercial Litigation
- Recognized: Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Recognized: Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Recognized: Litigation - Municipal
- Recognized: Civil Rights Law
- Trailblazers West, The American Lawyer, 2021
- Berkeley Law 2019 Citation Award
- The Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year, Criminal Defense, White Collar, 2020
- California Trailblazer Award, The Recorder, 2020
- Equality Trailblazer Award, The National Law Journal, 2019
- Elite Boutique Trailblazer, The National Law Journal, 2018 and 2020
- Litigation Trailblazer Award, The National Law Journal, 2018
- James Madison Freedom of Information Award, Northern California Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ NorCal), 2018
- California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award (Civil Rights), 2017
- The Daily Journal Top 100 Lawyers in California, 2016, 2017, 2018
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2015
- The Best Lawyers in America® for 28 consecutive years in the areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Litigation - First Amendment; Litigation - Intellectual Property; and Litigation - Municipal.
- Member of the award winning team "The Best in Family Law", The Recorder (2010-2019)
- Asian Pacific Bar Association of Silicon Valley's Beacon Award for Diversity, 2015
- Northern California Super Lawyers (2004-2023)
- Named one of Top 100 in Northern California Super Lawyers (2009-2018)
- Honored with the Pro Bono Project Silicon Valley's Philanthropist of the Year Award, 2016
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Pro Bono Award, 2015
- Received with his spouse, Sara, the Trustees Citation from the University of California, Berkeley Foundation for "outstanding achievement in a major fundraising program"
- Honored with the Philip J. Berelson Award for Generous Philanthropy
- Named to the President's Blue Ribbon Commission on Diversity, Santa Clara County Bar Association, and accepted, on behalf of McManis Faulkner, the Bar's Unsung Heroes Award
- Honors- Honorary Bencher of the Honorable Society of King's Inns, the oldest institution of legal education in Ireland
- Honors- Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers (membership limited to top 500 trial lawyers in U.S.)
- Honors- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Honors- Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- Honors - Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- Honors- Fellow, Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals
- Honors- Academy of American Poets
- Honors- Lifetime Charter Member of Best Attorneys of America
