McManis Faulkner partners James McManis, William Faulkner, and Sharon Kirsch have been named to the Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 Edition. Compiled through peer nomination and research, approximately five percent (5%) of the Northern California Bar received the distinction.
Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers, from more than 70 practice areas, who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The objective of the Super Lawyers selection process is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that may be used as a resource to assist in the search for legal counsel.
Named to the Northern California Super Lawyers every year since 2004, McManis prepares and presents cases for adjudication in the commercial, trade secrets and intellectual property arenas. He also represents individuals in a wide variety of matters, including civil rights actions, employment disputes, family law and criminal defense. McManis is an honorary bencher of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, the oldest institution of legal education in Ireland. In addition, he is a Fellow of the Academy of Court Appointed Masters, American College of Trial Lawyers, Litigation Counsel of America, American Bar Foundation and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. McManis received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (1967) and his B.A. in History, with Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, from Stanford University (1964).
A seasoned trial lawyer with significant experience in both state and federal courts in Santa Clara County, Faulkner was included in Northern California Super Lawyers in 2004 and from 2006 to the present. He represents businesses and individuals in complex civil litigation. In addition, he works with individuals and families in cases involving will contests, trust disputes and related issues. Faulkner is often called into family law matters when specific trial expertise is required and business concerns are involved. He also assists clients in transactional and contractual matters. He received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1978) and his B.A. from Stanford University (1973).
In her practice, Kirsch represents clients from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies in a variety of industries, handling management-side employment litigation, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour cases and trade secrets. She has successfully represented her clients in state and federal court, as well as before state and federal agencies. Kirsch has obtained favorable rulings for her employer clients from the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in several investigations involving allegations of discrimination based on pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, and race, as well as sexual harassment. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Santa Clara University School of Law (1991) and her B.S., with recognition, from Marylhurst College (1984).