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James J. Brosnahan

See more on James J. Brosnahan

Senior Counsel
Morrison & Foerster LLP

425 Market St.
San Francisco , CA 94105

James J. Brosnahan has more than 60 years of experience in both civil and criminal trial work, regularly undertaking complex cases on the verge of trial. He has tried 150 cases to conclusion, ranging from antitrust to wire fraud and from patent litigation to white collar crime and murder. Recognized by the Legal 500 US as one of the top 30 trial lawyers in the country, Brosnahan is widely regarded as a lion of the trial bar. Over his distinguished career, he has received numerous honors, including induction into the State Bar of California's Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Samuel E. Gates Award from the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2000 for his "significant, exceptional, lasting contribution to the improvement of the litigation process." Most recently, he published "Justice at Trial," (Rowman & Littlefield, July 15, 2023), a book reflecting on notable trials from his career.



Columns
Title Category Published
Voting on Prop 50 means picking your poison, not your party Constitutional Law Oct. 23, 2025
Congress stalls on judge security as threats triple Judges and Judiciary, Government Sep. 29, 2025
Voting rights decision restores protection for minority voters and Supreme Court bipartisanship U.S. Supreme Court, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights Jun. 9, 2023
Lawyers will fight to preserve women’s rights Law Practice, Appellate Practice Aug. 1, 2022
An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us Government Jul. 18, 2022
An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us Law Practice, Government Jul. 15, 2022
Three Supreme Court opinions on qualified immunity protect unqualified police officers Government, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights Jun. 28, 2022
Do American judges have the security they need? Judges and Judiciary May 31, 2022
Lawyers must help protect judges Law Practice, Judges and Judiciary, Ethics/Professional Responsibility Apr. 23, 2021
Who will defend the courts from attacks on the judiciary? Government, Constitutional Law Sep. 4, 2020

Verdicts & Settlements
Case Name Topic Role Published
People of the State of California, ex rel. Dennis J. Herrera, City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco; City and County of San Francisco v. Stephens Institute dba Academy of Art University; 2300 Stockton Street LLC; 1916 Octavia Street LLC; 1153 Bush Street LLC; 2209 Van Ness Avenue LLC; 1835 Van Ness Avenue LLC; 1080 Bush Street LLC; Real Property Defendant Apr. 8, 2017
San Diego County Water Authority v. Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Contracts Defendant May 17, 2014
Monster Beverage Corp., Monster Energy Co. v. Dennis Herrera, in his official capacity as City Attorney of San Francisco Consumer Law Plaintiff Jan. 11, 2014
Marin General Hospital v. Sutter Health, Edward Berdick, David Bradley, Robert Heller Business Law Plaintiff Aug. 24, 2013
Marin Healthcare District, et al. v. Sutter Health, et al. Contracts Plaintiff Jul. 14, 2012
George Radanovich, Charles Patrick, Gwen Patrick, Omar Nararro, Trung Phan v. Debra Bowen, in her official capacity as Secretary of State of California; The Citizens Redistricting Commission Constitutional Law Mar. 10, 2012
Richard Wool and Alan Mayer, on behalf of the Sitrick and Company Employee Stock Ownership Plan v. Michael S. Sitrick and Nancy Sitrick, husband and wife; The Michael and Nancy Sitrick Trust, as trust; Reliance Trust Company, a Georgia corporation; Sitrick and Company Inc., a California corporation Labor Law Defendant Dec. 31, 2011
Vahe Ohanessian, Michael Modaberpour, Arbi Barseghian, Varoojan Ohanessian and Alfred Terteryan v. PepperBall Technologies Inc., Gregory Pusey Securities Defendant Jan. 8, 2011
United States of America ex rel. Richard Wilson and Chris Maranto v. MAXXAM Inc., The Pacific Lumber Company, Scotia Pacific Company LLC, Salmon Creek LLC, Charles E. Hurwitz Environmental Law Defendant Jul. 23, 2009
United States and State of California, ex rel., John Corapi, Joseph Zerga v. Tenet Healthcare Corp., Chae Hyun Moon, et al.; United States and State of California, ex rel., Patrick Campbell v. Redding Medical Center, Tenet Health Care, et al. Torts Defendant Sep. 23, 2006
Marcus Williams v. William Romanowski Personal Injury Plaintiff Jul. 30, 2005
Title Category Published
Voting on Prop 50 means picking your poison, not your party Constitutional Law Oct. 23, 2025
Congress stalls on judge security as threats triple Judges and Judiciary, Government Sep. 29, 2025
Voting rights decision restores protection for minority voters and Supreme Court bipartisanship U.S. Supreme Court, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights Jun. 9, 2023
Lawyers will fight to preserve women’s rights Law Practice, Appellate Practice Aug. 1, 2022
An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us Government Jul. 18, 2022
An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us Law Practice, Government Jul. 15, 2022
Three Supreme Court opinions on qualified immunity protect unqualified police officers Government, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights Jun. 28, 2022
Do American judges have the security they need? Judges and Judiciary May 31, 2022
Lawyers must help protect judges Law Practice, Judges and Judiciary, Ethics/Professional Responsibility Apr. 23, 2021
Who will defend the courts from attacks on the judiciary? Government, Constitutional Law Sep. 4, 2020
Case Name Topic Role Published
People of the State of California, ex rel. Dennis J. Herrera, City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco; City and County of San Francisco v. Stephens Institute dba Academy of Art University; 2300 Stockton Street LLC; 1916 Octavia Street LLC; 1153 Bush Street LLC; 2209 Van Ness Avenue LLC; 1835 Van Ness Avenue LLC; 1080 Bush Street LLC; Real Property Defendant Apr. 8, 2017
San Diego County Water Authority v. Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Contracts Defendant May 17, 2014
Monster Beverage Corp., Monster Energy Co. v. Dennis Herrera, in his official capacity as City Attorney of San Francisco Consumer Law Plaintiff Jan. 11, 2014
Marin General Hospital v. Sutter Health, Edward Berdick, David Bradley, Robert Heller Business Law Plaintiff Aug. 24, 2013
Marin Healthcare District, et al. v. Sutter Health, et al. Contracts Plaintiff Jul. 14, 2012
George Radanovich, Charles Patrick, Gwen Patrick, Omar Nararro, Trung Phan v. Debra Bowen, in her official capacity as Secretary of State of California; The Citizens Redistricting Commission Constitutional Law Mar. 10, 2012
Richard Wool and Alan Mayer, on behalf of the Sitrick and Company Employee Stock Ownership Plan v. Michael S. Sitrick and Nancy Sitrick, husband and wife; The Michael and Nancy Sitrick Trust, as trust; Reliance Trust Company, a Georgia corporation; Sitrick and Company Inc., a California corporation Labor Law Defendant Dec. 31, 2011
Vahe Ohanessian, Michael Modaberpour, Arbi Barseghian, Varoojan Ohanessian and Alfred Terteryan v. PepperBall Technologies Inc., Gregory Pusey Securities Defendant Jan. 8, 2011
United States of America ex rel. Richard Wilson and Chris Maranto v. MAXXAM Inc., The Pacific Lumber Company, Scotia Pacific Company LLC, Salmon Creek LLC, Charles E. Hurwitz Environmental Law Defendant Jul. 23, 2009
United States and State of California, ex rel., John Corapi, Joseph Zerga v. Tenet Healthcare Corp., Chae Hyun Moon, et al.; United States and State of California, ex rel., Patrick Campbell v. Redding Medical Center, Tenet Health Care, et al. Torts Defendant Sep. 23, 2006
Marcus Williams v. William Romanowski Personal Injury Plaintiff Jul. 30, 2005
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