BACK TO RESULTS

Jill M. Manning , Esq.

In-person
Virtual

Home Office: San Francisco, California View More

Contact Case Manager

Jill M. Manning, Esq. is a Mediator, Arbitrator, and Court-Appointed Neutral. She is available for in-person and virtual mediations throughout the United States and internationally.

Ms. Manning brings a unique combination of litigation and trial experience to her ADR practice. With three decades of complex litigation practice—including two antitrust class action jury trials to verdict—she delivers trial-tested insight into the strategic dynamics and valuation challenges of high-stakes disputes.

Ms. Manning resolves complex matters across antitrust and competition, consumer protection, cybersecurity and privacy, education, employment, health care, mass torts, sports, and securities. She handles cases ranging from two-party commercial disputes to sophisticated multi-party, multi-district litigation and class action settlement negotiations involving substantial damages exposure.

Before joining JAMS, Ms. Manning represented clients in high-stakes litigation nationwide, enabling her to provide both evaluative and facilitative mediation services that help parties realistically assess risk and make informed resolution decisions. She has extensive experience with the complex dynamics of MDL proceedings and class action cases. She has resolved disputes across diverse industry sectors.

Ms. Manning serves courts throughout California in various neutral capacities. She serves as a neutral in the Northern District of California's Early Neutral Evaluation program, a mediator for the Northern and Central Districts of California and Los Angeles County Superior Court, a settlement conference facilitator for Sonoma County Superior Court, and a discovery facilitator for Marin and Contra Costa County Superior Courts.

Recognized annually as a Northern California "Super Lawyer" in Antitrust since 2020, Ms. Manning was named one of "Northern California's Best Lawyers, Antitrust" in 2025. Her combination of trial experience, complex and class action litigation background, and commitment to creative problem-solving makes her a sought-after neutral for sophisticated commercial disputes.

Ms. Manning enjoys cooking with vegetables grown in her garden, hiking coastal Marin and Sonoma with her Australian Shepherd, playing tennis, and exploring ancient ruins.

ADR Experience

Mediator, Arbitrator, Court-Appointed Neutral, JAMS: 2025-2026
Mediator, U.S. District Court, Central District of California: 2023–2026
Mediator, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California: 2024–2026
Early Neutral Evaluator, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California: 2020–2026
Settlement Conference Facilitator, Sonoma County Superior Court: 2024–2026
Discovery Facilitator, Marin County Superior Court: 2024 – 2026

Representative Matters

All matters below were handled by Ms. Manning as an advocate except as indicated otherwise.

Antitrust & Competition

Trial counsel in an antitrust class action between a certified class of over 3,000 small and midsize business and an agricultural company in a seven-week jury trial involving claims under the Sherman Act
Trial counsel in an antitrust class action between a certified class of over 3 million California employers and consumers and a hospital network in a four-week jury trial involving tying and unreasonable course of conduct claims brought under the Sherman Act, the California Cartwright Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17200) (UCL)
Antitrust case between opt-out companies and financial institutions for price fixing under the Sherman Act
Antitrust class action case between a certified direct purchaser class and agricultural companies involving claims of coordinated supply reductions under the Sherman Act
Antitrust class action case between a certified class and financial institutions involving claims for price fixing in foreign exchange markets under the Sherman Act
Antitrust case between merchants and merchant trade associations and credit card companies brought under the Sherman Act
Multiple class action cases between indirect purchaser classes and electronics manufacturers in horizontal price fixing cases under the Sherman Act
Multistate class action case between consumers and a large high-tech company for monopolization and tying under state antitrust laws
Putative class action cases involving the real estate industry in a horizontal price fixing case under the Sherman Act
Putative class action case involving consumers and a major car manufacturer for monopolization and attempted monopolization under the Sherman Act

Business Commercial

Mediator in a dispute in which the founder of one company alleged that a founder of a competing company misappropriated trade secrets and breached non-solicitation and non-compete provisions in various agreements, in violation of the Federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) (18 U.S.C. § 1836, et seq.), the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act (CUTSA) (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 3426, et seq.), and California's Unfair Business Practices law (UCL) (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17200, et seq.)
Mediator in a case between restaurant owners alleging breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, fraud and unfair competition related to a stock transfer agreement
Mediator in a case between a cosmetics company and a manufacturing company alleging claims for breach of contract, breach of implied and express warranty of merchantability, and negligence related to manufacture of bottles for cosmetics products
Mediator in a dispute between two parties asserting claims and cross claims for breach of contract and financial elder abuse regarding a dispute over a decedent’s real property
Mediator in a case between two companies regarding breach of an agreement to ship goods internationally, where the shipment was allegedly lost or stolen
Mediator in a Proposition 65 case concerning exposure to lead and cadmium without a compliant Proposition 65 warning
Mediator in a case brought by a federal governmental entity against a business for engaging in allegedly misleading business practices and seeking injunctive relief and restitution
Mediator in a case between a governmental entity and a business involving allegations of unfair and deceptive practices
Early neutral evaluator in a products liability case alleging defects in an automobile
Early neutral evaluator and mediator in multiple cases alleging violations of California’s Lemon Law (Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act) related to the purchase of allegedly defective vehicles
Early neutral evaluator in an insurance dispute regarding defective construction of condominiums
Early neutral evaluator in a contract dispute related to a public construction project in San Francisco
Mediator in a dispute between business partners related to a construction project, alleging breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duties
Dispute between founders of a social media company for breach of fiduciary duty
Mediator in a putative class action case alleging violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) involving several financial institutions
Mediator in a breach of contract and negligence case against an airline involving the transportation of perishable goods internationally

Class Action & Mass Tort

Mediator in multiple class action cases alleging violations of California’s “Honest Pricing Law” referred to as “Hidden Fees Statute” or drip pricing (California Civil Code § 1770(a)(29)) and seeking civil penalties and damages
Mediator in a case involving claims by a federal governmental entity seeking injunctive and monetary relief for alleged violation of federal consumer protection laws
Mediator in a class action case alleging claims for alleged violation of a California’s newly enacted “Honest Pricing Law” (California Civil Code § 1770(a)(29)) and seeking civil penalties and damages
Unfair business practices class action case involving a high-tech company and a class of California consumers in a consumer protection case under California’s UCL
Putative class action between consumers and high-tech companies involving RICO claims related to social casino apps
False advertising case between a multistate certified class of consumers and a large food manufacturer under California’s False Advertising Law (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17500) (FAL)
False advertising case between a multistate certified class of consumers and a manufacturer of baby products under state false advertising laws
Early neutral evaluator and mediator in a case alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and breach of express warranty

Cybersecurity & Privacy

Mediator in a multi-state investigation stemming from a data breach resulting in unauthorized third-party access to personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) of over one million consumers nationwide
Mediator in a class action alleging claims for damages and injunctive relief under California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL), following an alleged data breach involving personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI)
Discovery facilitator in a class action against a hospital for alleged invasion of privacy
Mediator in a class action case against a major technology company for allegedly violating the privacy rights of California residents and seeking statutory damages under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)
Data breach class action case between a certified class of consumers and an online pharmacy regarding the alleged disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII)
Mediator in a cybersecurity case between consumers and medical care facilities stemming from an alleged ransomware attack affecting over 100,000 individuals, alleging violations of California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (Cal. Civ. Code § 56) and California’s UCL

Education Law

Mediator in a pre-litigation dispute between a school district and business involving a public entity commercial lease dispute
Neutral evaluator and mediator in a dispute between a public school district and former employee in a case alleging termination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Mediator in a pre-litigation dispute between a school district and former employee, involving allegations of breach of contract and violations of the California Education Code
Discovery Facilitator in a case between a school district and former employee alleging wrongful termination, hostile work environment and discrimination. At issue was a motion to compel production of medical records
Multiple cases bought by students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Case between an employee and a school district regarding allegations of retaliation
Case between an employee and a school district regarding allegations of improper demotion
Case between a former employee and a school district regarding allegations of negligence and vicarious liability

Employment Law

Mediator in a case brought by an employee alleging violations of the California Labor Code and for wrongful termination for alleged failure to comply with company’s vaccine mandate
Pro bono representation in a case by a union member against the union for violation of the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 and the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947
Mediator in multiple putative wage and hour class action cases alleging violations of the California Labor Code for failure pay regular and overtime wages, provide compliant meal and rest breaks, pay waiting time penalties and failure to provide accurate wage statements
Mediator in a sexual harassment and gender discrimination case brought by a student against a private college
Several class action wage and hour cases brought by employees against retail companies alleging failure to pay regular and overtime wages and provide meal and rest breaks

Entertainment & Sports

Negligence and personal injury case between college athletes and a sports organization, colleges and universities
Antitrust case between one sports league against another involving allegations of monopolization and conspiracy in violation of the Sherman Act
Class action case involving professional athletes and a sports league involving allegations of violation of state minimum wage laws

Securities

Class action case brought by investors against an aerospace company for violations of federal securities laws
Class action case brought by investors against financial institutions for alleged violations of federal securities laws

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Bar Admissions

State of California, 1995–2026
United States Court of Appeal, Ninth Circuit, 1998–2026
United States District Court, Northern District of California, 1998–2026
United States District Court, Central District of California, 1999–2026
United States District Court, Southern District of California, 1999–2026
United States District Court, Eastern District of California, 1999–2026
United States Court of Appeal, Second Circuit, 2017–2026
United States Supreme Court, 2017–2026

Professional Associations and Memberships

Member, Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals, 2024–2026
California Lawyers Association
- Vice President, 2025-2026
- Board of Representatives, 2021–2025
- Treasurer, 2023–2024
California Lawyers Association, Antitrust and Consumer Protection Section
- Member, Executive Committee, 2012–2016
- Chair, Executive Committee, 2017–2018
- Advisor, Executive Committee, 2018–2026
Member, Antitrust Section, San Francisco Bar Association, 2012–2026
Member, Antitrust Section, American Bar Association, 2014–2026

Recent Events/Speaking Engagements

Moderator, “The Art and Science of Neutral Selection: Judicial and Attorney Perspectives,” Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals 2026 Annual Meeting, March 2026
Co-Creator and Co-Chair, Ninth Annual “Celebrating Women in Competition Law in California” panel and networking event, moderated by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, March 2026
Panelist, “The Latest Privacy Litigation Updates,” California Lawyers Association Annual Privacy Summit, February 2026
Panelist, “Beyond Zealous Advocacy: Maintaining Civility in the Practice of Law in California," USC Gould School of Law Alumni Association/JAMS CLE Day, January 2026
Panelist, “Mediation Ethics for Advocates,” Alameda County Bar Association Virtual MCLE Compliance Countdown, January 2026
Keynote Speaker, “Technology in the Practice of Law,” 31st Annual Contra Costa Bar Association MCLE Spectacular, November 2025
Panelist, “Antitrust Ethics in Action 3.0,” California Lawyers Association Golden State Institute, October 2025
Moderator, “Market Power at the Market: The Kroger/Albertsons Merger Trials Up Close,” California Lawyers Association Golden State Institute, October 2025
Panelist, “Navigating Through Impasse in International Mediation,” Milan Bar Association International Law Conference, October 2025
Panelist, “Preparing for Success: How to Structure and Navigate an Effective Mediation Process,” California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, September 2025
Presenter, “CIRCLE Up: Strategic Mediation Tips for Complex Litigation,” Beverly Hills Bar Association, August 2025
Panelist, “Breaking Barriers and Coming Together in Complex Litigation Forum,” June 2025
Panelist, “Tips for Mediating Class Action Cases,” A Class of Our Own Women’s Summit, May 2025
Panelist, “Mediators’ Perspectives: Insights and Strategies from Mediators to Achieve Effective Settlements,” Angeion Group Mega Summit, May 2025
Panelist, “Certifiable: What’s the Test Where?” ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting, April 2025
Co-Creator and Co-Chair, Eighth Annual “Celebrating Women in Competition Law in California” panel and networking event, moderated by the Honorable Trina L Thompon, March 2025
Roundtable Discussion Leader, Cambridge Forum on Antitrust Litigation, October 2024
Panelist, “Class Action Focus: Manageability Considerations at the Certification Stage,” 50th ABTL Annual Seminar, October 2024
Master of Ceremonies, 34th Annual Golden State Antitrust Institute & Antitrust Lawyer of the Year Ceremony, October 2024
Panelist, “Litigator vs. Trial Lawyer: Preparing for a Class Action Trial Starts With Your Litigation Strategy,” A Class of Our Own Women’s Conference, May 2024
Lecturer, “Sports and Antitrust Law,” CSU Long Beach, Sports Management, May 2024
Panelist, “Don’t Try Them Until You Mock Them,” ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting, April 2024
Co-Creator and Co-Chair, Seventh Annual “Celebrating Women in Competition Law in California” panel and networking event, moderated by the Honorable Rita F. Lin, March 2024
Panelist, “Mediating UCL Cases,” California Lawyers Association’s Consumer and Unfair Competition Law Institute, January 2024

Selected Awards and Honors

California Lawyers Association “Best in California, Community Service Award,” 2025
Northern California’s “Best Lawyers 2025, Antitrust”
Northern California Super Lawyer, 2020–2026

Background and Education

Founder, The Manning Law Firm: November 2024 – 2026
Partner, Pearson Warshaw, LLP: February 2022 – October 2024
Partner, Steyer Lowenthal Boodrookas Alvarez & Smith, LLP: January 2015 – January 2022
Of Counsel, Steyer Lowenthal Boodrookas Alvarez & Smith, LLP: November 2008 – December 2014
Associate, Kirby McInerney & Squire, LLP: July 1996 – August 2004
J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, 1995
- Articles Editor, USF Law Review, 1994–1995
- Member, USF Law Review, 1993–1995
B.A., Political Science, University of California at Davis, 1991
Summer Study, Cambridge University, Pembroke College, 1990

Virtual & In-Person Locations

Home Offices

San Francisco, CA
Walnut Creek, CA
Silicon Valley, CA
Santa Rosa, CA
Sacramento, CA

Available to Travel To

Atlanta, GA
Boca Raton, FL
Boston, MA
Century City, CA
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
Detroit, MI
Houston, TX
Inland Empire, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Los Angeles, CA
Miami, FL
Minneapolis, MN
New York, NY
Orange County, CA
Philadelphia, PA
San Diego, CA
Seattle, WA
St. Louis, MO
Washington, DC

Virtual hearings available nationwide

"Miracle worker”

— Los Angeles attorney

“I worked with mediator Jill Manning on a complicated public entity commercial lease dispute. Her industry knowledge, professionalism, strategic input, and integrity throughout the mediation process was top-notch. She prepared for the mediation thoroughly and arrived ready. She worked diligently throughout the mediation and stayed late to complete the process successfully. She was patient with deliberations, comments, and proposals. Perhaps most importantly, she presented as knowledgeable and fair; she was never arrogant or combative when negotiations got tough. I highly recommend Jill Manning.”

— Bay Area attorney

“Mediator Manning was a pleasure to work with. She handled our case that involved consumer rights statutes and played a huge part in assisting the parties to reach a resolution. She was fair and impartial as all good mediators should be. I would definitely use her again as a mediator and look forward to working with her again in the future.”

— Southern CA attorney