Elizabeth Pipkin

Elizabeth Pipkin is a partner and experienced trial lawyer in San Jose, California, who focuses on technology disputes, trade secrets, commercial litigation, and civil rights. Her practice also includes intellectual property matters, sensitive investigations, risk management, and conflict resolution. She brings strategic judgment to each stage of litigation and helps businesses, organizations, and individuals address complex disputes in state and federal courts.

Pipkin earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Brigham Young University. After law school, she clerked for the Honorable Nancy F. Atlas of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Her academic training and federal clerkship developed a strong foundation in legal analysis, courtroom procedure, and careful case preparation that continues to support her litigation practice.

Pipkin has handled significant disputes involving technology companies, commercial lenders, manufacturers, nonprofit organizations, and individuals. Her experience includes obtaining dismissal of a federal fraud action seeking hundreds of millions of dollars, decertifying a consumer class action, defending contract claims arising from an asset purchase transaction, and litigating trade secret claims. She also helped secure the first federal court order requiring the executive branch to remove a person wrongly placed on a post-9/11 terrorist watchlist, following years of litigation and trial.

Elizabeth Pipkin has received recognition in Chambers USA for general commercial litigation and has been named among the Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers and Top Women Lawyers. She is a Senior Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and has held leadership roles with the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley and Northern District of California committees. Her combination of trial experience, strategic problem solving, and public service supports clients facing high-stakes commercial, technology, and civil rights matters.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, McManis Faulkner
• Member, The State Bar of California
• Member, State Bar of Texas
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Member, California Women Lawyers
• Member, Harvard Club of Silicon Valley
• Member, Santa Clara County Bar Association
• Member, San Mateo County Bar Association
• Board of Directors, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley
• Co-Chair, Northern District of California Lawyer Representative
• Executive Board, Harvard Law School Association of Northern California

Licensed State

• California
• Texas

Education

• Harvard Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Brigham Young University
  Bachelor of Arts

Awards & Badges