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William Faulkner
Email
wfaulkner@mcmanislaw.com
Phone
408.279.8700
Focus
Litigation, Commercial, Intellectual Property, Probate, Real Property, Family Law

William Faulkner

Partner
Phone
408.279.8700

A seasoned trial lawyer with significant experience in both state and federal courts in Santa Clara County, Bill’s expertise in representing businesses and individuals in complex civil litigation has provided clients many noteworthy results.

In addition, Bill works with individuals and families in cases involving litigation such as will contests, trust disputes, and related issues. Bill is often called into family law matters when specific litigation expertise is required in cases where business concerns are involved. 

Armed with years of experience keeping business clients out of court, Bill assists many of the firm’s clients in transactional and contract matters. 

Bill also serves as a judge pro tem for the Santa Clara County Superior Court in settlement conferences, as an early neutral evaluator for the United States District Court, and as a private mediator and arbitrator.

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  • Credentials

    Admissions

    • State Bar of California
    • U.S. District Court, Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California
    • U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Federal Circuits  

    Education

    • J.D., University of California, Hastings College of Law, 1978
    • B.A., Stanford University, 1973
  • Experience

    Representative Matters

    • Regularly represents one of Silicon Valley’s premier companies in Federal and State Court litigation.
    • Obtained an arbitration award of more than $15 million to recover debt owed for clients in a real estate partnership. Subsequently secured a series of arbitration orders that allowed the clients to buy out their partners on favorable terms.
    • Obtained a defense judgment, including an award of all attorney’s fees, in defending a real estate fraud claim against client by wealthy individuals seeking more than $25,000,000 in damages.
    • Successfully recovered a substantial portion of sums paid through early settlement on behalf of a major telecommunications client that was overcharged under the terms of a commercial lease.

    Reported Cases

    • County of Santa Clara v. Super. Ct. (Atlantic Richfield, et al) (2017).
    • People v. ConAgra Grocery Products Co. (2017) 17 Cal.App.5th 51.
    • County of Santa Clara v. Superior Court (Atlantic Richfield Co.) (2010) 50 Cal.4th 35,235 P.3d 21,112 Cal. Rptr. 3d 697.
    • County of Santa Clara v. Superior Court (Atlantic Richfield Co.) (2008) 161 Cal.App.4th 1140.
    • County of Santa Clara v. Super. Ct. (Atlantic Richfield, et al) (2006) 137 Cal.App.4th 292.
    • Estate of Wong (1996) 40 Cal.App.4th 1198.
    • In re Romo (1987) 190 Cal.App.3d 279.
  • Awards & Honors
    • Senior Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America (limited to top one-half of one (1) percent of trial lawyers)
    • Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF)
    • The Best Lawyers in America® for 14 consecutive years in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Real Estate, and Litigation - Trusts & Estates
    • Northern California Super Lawyers (2004, 2006 - 2020) and listed in the Corporate Counsel Edition
    • Recognized by Marquis Who’s Who for 40 Years of Professional Excellence
    • Top 100 in Northern California Super Lawyers (2016 - 2019)
  • Articles
  • Professional & Community Contributions

    Bill is a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association and the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association. He is Vice President of the San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA) Board of Directors where he has been a trustee and officer for over 25 years.  In addition, Bill served for 20 years as the managing attorney for the Legal Counseling Office, Associated Students of Stanford University and previously served as a trustee of the Los Altos Educational Foundation.