Tyler
Atkinson

Partner

Phone: 408.279.8700

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Tyler represents plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes disputes. His clients range from individuals to Fortune 500 companies. He also frequently represents defendants and victims in criminal cases.

Tyler’s combined civil and criminal practices have helped him gain considerable courtroom and trial experience throughout the Bay Area. His representation of criminal defendants facing potential civil claims, and civil clients with potential criminal exposure, has given Tyler valuable perspective on the interplay of civil law and criminal justice. He also leverages technology to develop his cases efficiently and then present them at trial in the most vivid and accessible ways possible.

In 2024, Tyler tried four cases– all with successful results. The first trial was an elder abuse case in which Tyler proved that his elderly clients had been financially exploited, resulting in a judgment returning their home to them. The second was a criminal trial in which Tyler’s client faced more than 250 years imprisonment, i.e., a life sentence. After a seven-week trial, the jury split evenly, and the Court declared mistrial, resulting in a “time served” settlement. The third was a breach of contract case in which the jury, after deliberating for less than an hour, returned a verdict to the exact penny requested. The fourth was a bench trial in which the plaintiff alleged civil harassment. Tyler represented the defendant. Mid-trial, the plaintiff dismissed his case in exchange for an agreement that Tyler’s client not sue for malicious prosecution. Although each case presented starkly different legal and evidentiary challenges, Tyler used his talent and broad experience to obtain excellent results.

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Credentials
Admissions
- State Bar of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
- U.S. Supreme Court
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Dean’s List, University of Notre Dame Law School
- B.A., honors, Phi Beta Kappa, University of California, Santa Cruz
- National University of Singapore
Experience
- Won civil rights trials against federal and county defendants for Constitutional violations.
- Secured tens of millions of dollars in personal injury cases, including $11.2M against eight defendants in a single case.
- Obtained many felony dismissals through forensic, electronic, and accounting investigations.
- Obtained seven-figure arbitration award against multiple foreign-based defendants after compelling them to arbitrate pursuant to a federal court order.
- Defended major U.S.-based cybersecurity company in corporate espionage case. Tyler defeated allegations that a high-level executive transmitted secrets to an archrival.
- Defended leading semiconductor manufacturer against patentholder claiming hundreds of millions in damages.
- Defended national governing body of U.S. Olympic sport in multi-million dollar action.
Awards & Honors
Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Commercial Litigation, 2024, 2025
- Northern California Super Lawyers, 2023-2024
- Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2013-2022
Honors
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (limited to top one-half of one (1) percent of trial lawyers)
Articles & Blogs
Articles
- “SB 470: Amends Code of Civil Procedure” Daily Journal, New Laws supplement
- “AB 2634: Clarification of Remedies Under Bane Act” Daily Journal
- “Avoiding Avoidance: Keeping Payments After Client Bankruptcy” Daily Journal
- “Conducting Warranted Searches Without a Warrant” Daily Journal
- “Rent Overpayment: Return to Sender?” California Real Estate Journal
Blogs
Professional & Community Contributions
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- Member Board of Directors, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Santa Cruz County
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- Content Attorney at Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
- Professor of Remedies, Lincoln Law School of San Jose
- Managing Attorney, Legal Counseling Office at Stanford University
- Civil Practice Committee, Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA)
- Past Member, Finance Committee, Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA)
- Past Chair of the County Bar Civil Practice Committee, SCCBA
- Executive Editor of the Journal of Legislation. His work has been cited by the American Bar Association, the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (part of the Wisconsin state legislature), the Indiana Law Review, the Drake Law Review, the Denver University Law Review, and the University of Memphis Law Review, as well as several other publications.
- Notre Dame Law School Honor Council

Tyler Atkinson

Partner

Admissions

Education

Awards

Honors

Articles

Blogs

Tyler
Atkinson