Biography

Jerome I. (Jerry) Braun and two partners founded the firm, now known as Farella Braun + Martel LLP, in 1962. In a long career at the bar, he has maintained a diverse trial and appellate practice in areas such as commercial litigation, complex and multi-district litigation, securities regulation, antitrust, and legal malpractice. He has concentrated on federal practice and on his work as an arbitrator and mediator and has served the federal courts as special master. He was the proponent of California Supreme Court Rule 29.5 (permitting certification of questions of state law by federal appellate courts). For many years he served as president of The Other Bar, a network of recovering lawyers, law students, and judges throughout California.

Mr. Braun has been active in Ninth Circuit governance issues and on behalf of Stanford University and Jewish philanthropies. He was honored by The Other Bar with its inaugural 2016 Edward Train Caldwell Service Award in recognition of “extraordinary service to The Other Bar and the California legal profession.” In 2013, he was the recipient of the Hazelden Legal Professionals Program’s second annual “Hazelden Excellence in Legal Community Leadership Award.” In 2005, Mr. Braun was awarded the Ninth Circuit’s highest accolade, the John P. Frank Award, recognizing an outstanding lawyer practicing in the federal courts of the western United States. In 1999, he received the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award as “a senior lawyer practicing in the Ninth Circuit whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the legal profession and the rule of law.” 

Mr. Braun authored many articles in professional and scholarly publications, including articles on the precedential value of unpublished opinions, a comprehensive study of the California anti-SLAPP law in the U.C. Davis Law Review, and another article on the anti-SLAPP law in the McGeorge Law Review. He has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Appellate Law since 2007.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • American Law Institute (Member)
  • American Academy of Appellate Lawyers (Fellow)
  • California Academy of Appellate Lawyers (past President)
  • American College of Trial Lawyers (Fellow)
  • Ninth Circuit Senior Advisory Board (past Chair)
  • Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (past Chair, lawyer delegates)
  • Ninth Circuit Historical Society (past President; Director)
  • Northern District of California Historical Society (past Director)
  • American Judicature Society (past Director)
  • Stanford University Law School (past Visitor)
  • Jewish Community Federation (past President)
  • Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds (past Director)
  • Three years of service in the United States army (c.1950)

Firm Highlights

News

Big Tech Breathes Sigh of Relief After Justices' Terror Rulings

Erik Olson spoke to Law360 for the article "Big Tech Breathes Sigh of Relief After Justices' Terror Rulings," covering the U.S. Supreme Court's decision not to review whether Section 230 insulates online platforms from...

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Publication

Trends Guest Editorial: Wildfires and Wineries

Link to the article in Gradient's Trends  Spring 2023 newsletter. Recurring wildfires in the Napa and Sonoma Counties of California have created a set of niche problems for the surrounding wineries, on top of...

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Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Meeting Minutes Best Practices

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . This episode focuses on documenting decisions made at meetings of a nonprofit organization's board of directors or trustees. While everyone who attends a...

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Publication

Office-to-Housing Conversion: State and Local Efforts to Revitalize the Downtown

Originally published in The Registry . As office vacancies soar in traditional downtown areas like San Francisco’s Financial District, state and local officials are moving quickly to adopt incentives they hope will bring people...

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News

Farella Braun + Martel Earns Mansfield Certification Plus Status

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Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Federal Tax Filing Deadlines and Penalties

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . This episode focuses on the importance of meeting the federal tax filing deadlines that apply to charitable organizations. Most charitable organizations that are...

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News

Patrick Loi Selected to MCCA Sources of Success Program

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Event

Bisnow: San Francisco State of the Market

At Bisnow's San Francisco State of the Market event, Ashley Breakfield will moderate the panel "Revitalizing San Francisco: Reconfiguring the city for a hybrid world, reimagining downtown, and uplifting the economy." Click  here  for more information and to...

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News

Chambers USA 2023 Recognizes Farella Braun + Martel Lawyers, Practices

Farella Braun + Martel is pleased to announce that Chambers USA has recognized 16 lawyers and six practice areas in the legal directory’s 2023 edition. Individual California and Western U.S. Rankings: Sarah Bell &ndash...

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Publication

Uncorking Accessibility: How Winery Websites Can Meet ADA Compliance Standards

Vanessa Ing and Kelsey Mollura discuss "Uncorking Accessibility: How Winery Websites Can Meet ADA Compliance Standards." The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities...

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