McManis Faulkner congratulates partner Abimael “A.J.” Bastida for his inclusion on the “40 Under 40” list published by the Daily Journal, California’s largest legal newspaper. The recognition honors the top 40 young lawyers in California who have made a difference to their clients, their firms and the legal profession.
In its coverage of Bastida, the Daily Journal details Bastida’s upbringing as the eldest of six children in a low-income family. Bastida immigrated with his parents from Mexico when he was six years old and was the first in his family to go to college. “The odds of my being here were not good. Now, I get to advocate for those who were wronged, and I feel a great sense of responsibility,” Bastida said. The profile also covers his initial plan to develop a career in patent law, but he pivoted when he joined McManis Faulkner because of the firm’s emphasis on trial skills. “I can say this has proved to be true, and I appreciate it. I’m in court a lot,” he added.
Bastida has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in business, criminal and employment-related disputes. He also has experience with civil rights, probate and trust litigation and representing high-level executives in white-collar matters. Bastida is a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, the Santa Clara County La Raza Lawyers Association and the William A. Ingram Inn of Court. For the past two years, he has been named to the Best Lawyers in America in the “Ones to Watch” category in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Labor and Employment. In 2024, Bastida was named a fellow with the Litigation Counsel of America. He earned his J.D. (2014), with a High Tech Law Certificate, and his B.S. in Engineering (2011) from Santa Clara University.
McManis Faulkner, a San Jose, California based trial firm, provides a full range of litigation services, representing both corporations and individuals through trial and appeal. The firm handles a wide range of litigation, including business, civil rights, class actions, criminal, employment, family, general civil, intellectual property, personal injury, probate, and professional negligence. With experienced, well-trained trial lawyers and staff, McManis Faulkner prides itself on its ethnic, cultural and religious diversity.