McManis Faulkner, a leading Northern California trial firm, has added Gregory Ward, who recently retired from the Santa Clara County Superior Court after 20 years as a judge. Ward will focus on intellectual property litigation and joins the firm as Of Counsel.
“In a period when so many retire from the bench only to go into private judging or arbitration, we are tremendously pleased that Greg has bucked this trend and decided to practice with us. His extensive experience on both sides of the bench will be an invaluable benefit to our clients and our attorneys, who have much to gain from his unique perspective on cases,” said James McManis, head of the firm.
“After 20 years on the bench, I’m excited about returning to the trial work that originally fueled my passion for the law. I started my career in litigation and look forward to again practicing as a trial lawyer,” said Ward. “This is a very exciting move for me. McManis Faulkner has an outstanding reputation, and I look forward to working with this group of excellent attorneys.”
Ward, appointed as a Superior Court judge in 1990, presided over hundreds of criminal and civil trials. Prior to his bench appointment, Ward focused on high-tech legal matters including intellectual property and business disputes. He also previously prosecuted major criminal cases as a member of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the U.S. Department of Justice and served as the attorney-in-charge of the San Jose branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Ward has successfully briefed and argued appeals in the Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School (1972) and his B.A. from the University of California at Santa Cruz (1969).