Craig Needham
Craig Needham has been representing injured plaintiffs and their families throughout the Bay Area for nearly 40 years. Craig has tried more than 50 cases to verdict and has obtained numerous million-dollar results through trials and settlements for his clients over the years. One of the most famous cases in his career was representing the families of the victims of the Jonestown Massacre orchestrated by Jim Jones in 1978. In addition, Craig is often retained to serve as a mediator or arbitrator to help parties resolve difficult and complicated actions that involve personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and business disputes.
Craig's skill as a trial attorney and mediator, as well as his commitment to providing clients with exceptional legal representation, has earned him an excellent reputation in the local legal community. His peers have awarded him Martindale-Hubbell's prestigious "AV" rating, which signifies preeminent levels of professional ability and ethical standards. Craig has received many distinguished awards during his career, including being named as a Northern California Super Lawyer each year since 2004 as well as one of Northern California's Top 100 Lawyers in 2005 and 2006. Most recently, he was voted "Lawyer of the Year" in Santa Clara County.
Admissions
- California, 1972
- U.S. District Court, Northern, Central, and Eastern Districts of California
Education
- J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law
- Advanced Mediation Course, Pepperdine University School of Law
- B.A., Economics, Santa Clara University
Memberships
- American Board of Trial Advocates (1988-present)
- Lawyers Club of San Francisco (Member, 1973-present; President, 1985-1986; State Bar Delegation, 1983-1989)
- American Bar Association (Member, Section on Tort and Insurance Practice Law, 1972-present)
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (1972-present)
- Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles (2003-present)
- Consumer Attorneys of Santa Clara County (formerly Santa Clara Trial Lawyers Association) (Board of Directors, 1990-1995; Secretary, 1995-1996; President-Elect, Dec. 1996-Mar. 1997)
- San Francisco County Bar Association
- Santa Clara County Bar Association (Chair of the Civil Practice Section, 2000-2001)
- Consumer Attorneys of California (formerly California Trial Lawyers Association) (1972-present)
- American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association) (1975-present)
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice (1999-present)
- American Inns of Court (2001-2004)
- California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform Referral Panel (2006-present)
Teaching Positions
- Hastings College of Trial and Appellate Advocacy (Lecturer and Course Instructor, 1983-1990)
- Holy Names High School, (Introduction to Law, 1985-1989)
- University of Santa Clara, School of Law (College of Advocacy, Course Leader, June 1993; Guest lecturer, course in mediation practice and trial practice, 2004-2009; Judge for the 2001 Honors Moot Court Competition
- Lincoln Law School (Lecturer in Trial Practice, 1994, Professor of Trial Practice, 1998-2000; Outstanding Professor, 2000-2001; Professor of Torts, 1994-2009)
