McManis Faulkner partners James McManis, William Faulkner, Elizabeth Pipkin, and Tyler Atkinson have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2026©. Additionally, partner Abimael “A.J.” Bastida was recognized among the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2026.
McManis has been recognized by Best Lawyers for 30 consecutive years. He is included in the “Bet-the-Company Litigation”; “Civil Rights Law”; “Commercial Litigation”; “Criminal Defense: White-Collar”; “Litigation – Intellectual Property”; and “Litigation – Municipal” categories. A member of the trial bar for more than 50 years, McManis handles cases in the commercial, trade secrets and intellectual property arenas, as well as representing individuals in civil rights actions, employment disputes, family law and criminal defense matters. McManis earned 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).
Recognized for 19 consecutive years, Faulkner was honored in: “Commercial Litigation”; Litigation – Real Estate”; and “Litigation – Trusts & Estates.” A leader in the firm’s business-oriented practices, he handles complex civil litigation, including business disputes, commercial real estate matters and probate litigation, as well as advising on corporate and partnership matters. Faulkner earned his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1978) and his B.A. in Sociology from Stanford University (1973).
In her third consecutive appearance on the list, Pipkin was recognized in the “Commercial Litigation” category. Leading McManis Faulkner’s civil trial team and firmwide managing partner, Pipkin represents companies and individuals in a wide range of disputes, including those involving technology, trade secrets, complex commercial issues and civil rights matters. She is the past president of the Board of Trustees for the Silicon Valley Law Foundation and received her J.D. from Harvard Law School (2001) and her B.A. from Brigham Young University (1998).
Atkinson has been recognized in the “Commercial Litigation” category since 2024. He represents plaintiffs and defendants in civil cases, public entity litigation, and high-stakes disputes, and his clients range from individuals and closely held businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Atkinson received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame Law School (2008) and his B.A., with honors, from the University of California, Santa Cruz (2005).
Named to the “Ones to Watch” list for the fourth straight year, Bastida was recognized in the following categories: “Civil Rights”; “Commercial Litigation”; “Criminal Defense: General Practice”; “Litigation – Labor and Employment”; and “Litigation – Trusts and Estates.” He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in business, criminal and employment-related disputes. Bastida also has experience with civil rights, probate and trust litigation and representing high-level executives in white-collar matters. He earned his J.D. (2014) with a High Tech Law Certificate and his B.S. in Engineering (2011) from Santa Clara University.
About Best Lawyers (provided by Best Lawyers)
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers recognitions are compiled based on an exhaustive Purely Peer Review® evaluation. For the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, more than 23 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 80,000 leading lawyers included in the milestone 31st edition. For the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, more than 4 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 27,000 lawyers honored in the new edition.