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Alison P. Buchanan

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Alison P. Buchanan

Shareholder, Chair - Business Litigation

55 South Market St., Suite 900
San Jose, CA 95113

408-947-2415 | 408-287-2583
alison.buchanan@hogefenton.com
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Alison P. Buchanan

Main Bio

Practice Overview

Alison Buchanan is a Shareholder in the firm’s Silicon Valley office, where she focuses her practice on business litigation. Alison is the Chair of the firm’s Business Litigation Practice Group. She represents clients in complex business disputes, including contracts, fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition claims, and employment law litigation. She has significant trial experience, including serving as lead counsel in jury and bench trials in state and federal courts.

Alison is a Certified Specialist in Legal Malpractice Law, certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Her additional experience in employment and real estate litigation makes her a valued resource for her clients. Alison is a sought-after speaker on attorney ethics.

Alison has been honored as a “Northern California Super Lawyer” from 2013 to 2024, an accolade reserved for no more than five percent of the state’s attorneys, as selected by the Super Lawyers research team. 2012, she was also named a Northern California “Rising Star.” Most recently, the prestigious Daily Journal recognized Alison as one of the Top Professional Responsibility Lawyers of 2024, and she has been included in the Best Lawyers list for both 2024 and 2025.

Practice Areas

Education

  • J.D., Chicago-Kent College of Law (Illinois Institute of Technology), with honors
  • B.A., Criminology, Law & Society, University of California, Irvine

Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. District Court, Central, Eastern & Northern Districts of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Affiliation & Awards

Professional Activities

Alison is a Certified Specialist in Legal Malpractice Law, as certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. She previously served as a Commissioner for the Legal Malpractice Law Advisory Commission of the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization.

Alison is the current Chair (and a founding member) of the California Lawyers Association’s Ethics Committee.

From 2011 through 2014, Alison served a three-year appointment to the California State Bar’s Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC). She previously served on the Executive Committee of The Bar Association of San Francisco’s Legal Malpractice Section.  She is a member of APRL (Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers). She has chaired the Professionalism Committee for the Santa Clara County Bar Association (2015 – 2016), and previously served on its Civil Practice, Business Law/Business Litigation Committees (2010 and 2011 Chair), Finance, Law Related Education (2008 Chair), and Barristers Committees. Alison is also a past co-chair of the Amicus Committee for the Campaign for Legal Services.  For ten years, Alison taught Professional Responsibility at Lincoln Law School in San Jose.

Alison currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Humane Society Silicon Valley. She is also a 2008 graduate of the Community Leadership San Jose-Silicon Valley Program.

Awards

  • Top Professional Responsibility Lawyers of 2024, Daily Journal
  • Northern California Super Lawyers, 2013-2023
  • Northern California Super Lawyers “Rising Stars,” 2012
  • Best Lawyers, 2024-2025

Representative Experience

Representative Matters/Clients

  • Represents corporate clients with contract, fraud, misappropriation, and unfair business practice claims
  • Represents law firms and lawyers in defending allegations of professional malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty
  • Represents lawyers in State Bar disciplinary proceedings
  • Significant trial experience, including jury and bench trials
  • Advises law firms and lawyers on ethics issues, such as conflicts, confidentiality, and fee disputes
  • Federal court jury trial experience involving allegations of unfair competition and false advertising

Speaking & Publications

Speaking Engagements and Publications

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Ethics Game Show: Wheel of Fortune or Misfortune, 2024 Mid-Year Meeting, Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers, Feb. 3, 2024
  • The Latest Developments in Attorney Ethics & Law of Lawyering, PLI’s California MCLE Marathon 2023, Practising Law Institute, Nov. 15, 2023
  • Ethics Update for the IP Lawyer, Intellectual Property Law Institute 2023, Practising Law Institute, Nov. 3, 2023
  • Lawyering in a Mobile World, PLI’s California MCLE Marathon 2023, Practising Law Institute, Nov. 1, 2023
  • Troubled and Troubling Client Relationships: Avoidance, Management, and Extrication, Aon Law Firm Symposium, Oct. 12, 2023
  • Fee Splitting Done Right, Even When Things Go Wrong, Solo & Small Firm Summit 2023, California Lawyers Association, June 16, 2023
  • Lawyering in a Mobile World, PLI’s California MCLE Marathon 2022: Current Developments in Legal Ethics-Competence Issues-Elimination of Bias, Practising Law Institute, Nov. 1, 2022
  • Ethics Update for the IP Lawyer, Intellectual Property Law Institute 2022, Practising Law Institute, Oct. 18, 2022
  • *ART* Common Rules of Professional Responsibility and Ethics Applied to the ART World, ABA Family Law 2022 Fall CLE Conference, American Bar Association, Oct. 13, 2022
  • Professional Responsibility and Liability Traps in Transactional Practice, ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability National Legal Malpractice Conference, American Bar Association, Sept. 22, 2022
  • Estate Planning and Probate-Ethics and Estate Planning for New Attorneys: Avoiding Ethics Traps for the Unwary, San Mateo County Bar Association, Aug. 11, 2022
  • Legal Ethics and the Cloud, Cloud Computing 2022: Key Issues and Practical Guidance, Practising Law Institute, May 4, 2022
  • Panel on Civility, CCPUC Annual Conference, May 2, 2022
  • Managing Professionals Professionally – A Guide for Lawyers, California Lawyers Association, Jan. 25, 2022
  • The Latest Developments in Attorney Ethics and the Law of Lawyering, PLI California MCLE Marathon, Practising Law Institute, Nov. 8, 2021
  • Annual Ethics Update, PilotLegis Annual Meeting, Oct. 23, 2021
  • Ethics Update for the IP Lawyer, Intellectual Property Law Institute, Practising Law Institute, Oct. 19, 2021
  • Ethical Trends in the Use of AI and Cloud Computing, Think Like a Lawyer, Talk Like a Geek 2021: Get Fluent in Technology, Practising Law Institute, Oct. 15, 2021
  • A Year in Review: Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility, 2021 CLA Annual Meeting, California Lawyers Association, Sept. 23, 2021
  • Ethical Issues in Virtual Remote Work, California Lawyers Association and Small Firm Summit, June 25, 2021
  • Take-offs and Landings: Ethical Risks in Initiating and Terminating Attorney-Client Relationships, American Bar Association, June 21, 2021
  • Ethics Update for Legal Professionals, Legal Professionals, Inc., June 3, 2021
  • Legal Ethics and the Cloud, Practising Law Institute, May 10, 2021
  • Legal Ethics Issues for Employment Lawyers, Santa Clara County Bar Association, May 6, 2021
  • Ethics Update: What You Need to Know, Santa Clara County Legal Professionals Association, Jan. 12, 2021
  • Work From Home Best Practices/Ethics Issues, Santa Clara County Bar Association, Nov. 20, 2020
  • The Latest Developments in Attorney Ethics and the Law of Lawyering, Practising Law Institute, Nov. 16, 2020
  • Ethical Issues Facing Women Lawyers, MSheLE, Oct. 28, 2020
  • Ethics Update for the IP Lawyer, Practising Law Institute, Oct. 19, 2020
  • Hindsight in 2020: A Legal Ethics Year in Review, California Lawyers Association, Sept. 25, 2020
  • Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Malpractice Claims and What to Do When One Happens to You, Association Certified Family Law Specialists, Aug. 28, 2020
  • Ethical Issues Confronting Trusts and Estates Lawyers, San Mateo County Bar Association, May 21, 2020
  • Ethical Issues in IP Practice, California Lawyers Association, May 19, 2020
  • Critical Ethics Issues for the IP Lawyer, IP Law Institute 2019, Practising Law Institute, Oct. 21-22, 2019
  • Professional Responsibility in California: Past, Present and Future, 2019 Annual Meeting, California Lawyers Association, Oct. 10, 2019
  • The New Rules of Professional Conduct: A Year in Review, 2019 Annual Meeting, California Lawyers Association, Oct. 11, 2019
  • Trial: All About the Prep, Santa Clara County Legal Professionals Association, July 10, 2019
  • Legal Ethics and the Cloud, Practising Law Institute, May 13, 2019
  • Sex, Lies, and Diligence: Ethics in a New Era, CLA’s 25th Annual Public Sector Conference, April 12, 2019
  • Is This A Conflict? Ethical Traps That Could Surprise You, ALI CLE, Jan. 10, 2019
  • California MCLE Marathon 2018: Current Developments in Legal Ethics – Competence Issues – Elimination of Bias, PLI Institute, Dec. 4, 2018
  • The New Rules of Professional Conduct: What You Absolutely Must Know, EACBA, Nov. 15, 2018
  • Ethical Considerations in the Startup Space, California Lawyers Association IP Institute, Nov. 9, 2018
  • Joint Representations: Avoiding Ethical Issues, Lorman.com Webinar, 2018
  • The New California Rules of Professional Conduct Effective November 1, 2018, SCCBA, Nov. 7, 2018
  • Annual 3 in 1: Elimination of Bias, Legal Ethics, Competence Issues 2018, Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA), Nov. 7, 2018
  • Learn the Revised (New) Rules of Professional Conduct: Your Practice Depends On It, Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA), Oct. 25, 2018
  • Joint Representations: Avoiding Ethical Issues, Lorman Education, Oct. 24, 2018
  • Critical Ethics Issues for the IP Lawyer, PLI’s Intellectual Property Law Institute 2018, Oct. 23, 2018
  • The Ethics Game: An Interactive Approach to Understanding the Top Ethics Developments This Year, APRL Annual Conference, Aug. 3, 2018
  • Ethics Updates for Legal Professionals, Santa Clara County Legal Professionals Association, May 8, 2018
  • Hearsay and How to Protect the Expert Witness and Their Testimony at Deposition and Trial for Attorneys and Experts, Forensic Expert Witness Association 2018 National Conference, April 27, 2018
  • Legal Ethics and Technology, Northern California Attorneys and Advocates, April 16, 2018
  • Tech Competence and Confidentiality, Santa Clara University Law Professional Responsibility Class, Feb. 21, 2018
  • Challenging Issues in Insurance Defense Practice, Assoc. of Professional Responsibility Lawyers, Feb. 2, 2018
  • Preparing for the Worst; Hoping for the Best; What You Need to Know When Winding Down Your Practice (or Taking Over for a Colleague), Sonoma County Bar Association, Jan. 29, 2018
  • Tech Ethics for Lawyers, San Mateo County Bar Association “Funky Credit Day,” Jan. 12, 2018
  • Ethics, Jerry A. Kasner Estate Planning Symposium, Santa Clara University, Sept. 8, 2017
  • Critical Ethics Issues for the IP Lawyer, PLI IP Institute, Oct. 24, 2017
  • Ethics & Technology, Placer County Bar Association’s Spring MCLE Mountain Retreat, April 21, 2017
  • Elimination of Bias, Sunnyvale-Cupertino Bar Association, March 13, 2017
  • Ethical Issues and the Use of Technology in the Practice of Law, San Mateo County Bar Association, Jan. 27, 2017
  • 2016 Legal Ethics Developments: A Fast-Paced Recap, SCCBA Annual MCLE Marathon, Jan. 27, 2017
  • Legal Ethics for Estate Planners, Silicon Valley Bar Association, Jan. 26, 2017
  • Legal Malpractice and Ethics: 2016 In Review, Bar Association of San Francisco, Jan. 19, 2017
  • Ethical Issues for Experts and Counsel, Forensic Expert Witness Association Annual Meeting, May 20, 2016
  • Ethics and Technology in the Practice of Law, SMCBA, “Funky Credit Day,” Jan. 29, 2016
  • Legal Ethics, Santa Clara County Bar Association MCLE Marathon Live, Jan. 22, 2016
  • Legal Malpractice and Ethics: 2015 in Review, The San Francisco Bar Association, Jan. 22, 2016
  • Top Ten Ethics Tips for Using the Internet to Enhance and Market Your Practice, Association of Defense Counsel 56th Annual Meeting, Dec. 10, 2015
  • Attorney Fee Payments: New Options, Old Ethics, The Bar Association of San Francisco, Sept. 23, 2015
  • Ethics & Social Media, Napa County Women Lawyers, Sept. 9, 2015
  • Multijurisdictional Practice and the Unauthorized Practice of Law: Complying With the Rules, The Bar Association of San Francisco, March 19, 2015
  • The Perils of Multijurisdictional and Cross-Border Practice, Legal Malpractice & Risk Management Conference, Feb. 27, 2015
  • Two Lawyers, One Client: Ethical Issues in Co-Counsel Relationships, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE), Feb. 11, 2015
  • Legal Malpractice and Professional Ethics: Recent Developments, The San Francisco Bar Association, Jan. 27, 2015
  • Ethics and Professional Responsibility Roundup, Santa Clara County Bar Association MCLE Marathon Live event, January 23, 2015
  • Moderator, Keeping Your Bearings In The Crucible: Ethics At Trial, American Business Trial Lawyers, Jan. 20, 2015
  • Ethics & Social Media, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association, Dec. 4, 2014
  • Trial Ethics: Common Issues At Trial, The Bar Association of San Francisco, Oct. 23, 2014
  • Walking the Rule 1.1 Tightrope, The Conference of California Public Utility Counsel, Sept. 30, 2014
  • The Latest Developments in Legal Ethics, Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, Sept. 19, 2014
  • Starting Off on the Right Foot: Addressing Ethics Issues at the Outset, State Bar of California 87th Annual Meeting, Sept. 12, 2014
  • The Ethics of Getting Your Legal Fees Paid, State Bar of California 87th Annual Meeting, Sept. 12, 2014
  • Multijurisdictional Practice and Globalization of the Legal Profession, presented to a private law firm all attorney retreat, Sept. 6, 2014
  • 10 Tips for Ethically Using Technology in Your Practice, West Valley Bar Association, July 31, 2014
  • Ensure Your Trial Practices are Beyond Reproach, National Business Institute, July 22, 2014
  • Complex Issues with the Attorney-Client Privilege, California State Bar Solo & Small Firm Summit, June 19, 2014
  • Crisis Management for In-House Counsel, Strafford, June 4, 2014
  • Social Media & Ethics, Sonoma County Women in Law, May 22, 2014
  • Ethics Updates for Legal Professionals, Santa Clara County Legal Professionals Association, April 24, 2014
  • Ethics of Social Media and Attorney Ratings Websites, Contra Costa County Bar Association, April 15, 2014
  • Moderator, Trial Ethics: Don’t Risk Your Soul to Win a Point, California State Bar 18th Annual Statewide Ethics Symposium, April 12, 2014
  • Ethics for Employee Benefits Lawyers, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education, April 4, 2014
  • Navigating the Internet Highway and Legal Ethics, The Bar Association of San Francisco, Jan. 28, 2014
  • At the Intersection of Ethics and Technology, San Mateo County Bar Association “Funky Credit Day”, Jan. 24, 2014
  • Joint Representation: Avoiding the Ethical Risks, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education, Dec. 12, 2013
  • You May Be Breaching Ethical Rules Every Time You Use the Internet, SCCBA, Dec. 10, 2013
  • The Estate Planner Roadmap to Conflicts, State Bar of California Annual Taxation Conference, Nov. 7, 2013
  • Conflicts 201: Beyond the Basics, State Bar of California 86th Annual Meeting, Oct. 12, 2013
  • Ethical Risk Management, The Berkeley Albany Bar Association, Sept. 16, 2013
  • Ethical Collections and Fee Arbitration, The Bar Association of San Francisco, July 25, 2013
  • Ethical Lawyering Opposite a Pro Per, Sonoma County Women in Law, May 23, 2013
  • Ethical Lawyering Opposite a Pro Per, Sonoma County Women in Law, May 23, 2013
  • The Nuts and Bolts of Litigating Against Vexatious Litigants, Santa Clara County Bar Association, May 15, 2013
  • Sticks and Stones May Break Your Bones, But Your Own Words (and Conduct) Might Really Hurt You, California State Bar 17th Annual Statewide Ethics Symposium, April 20, 2013
  • Ethics Updates for Legal Professionals, Santa Clara County Legal Professionals Association, April 18, 2013
  • Ethics: Non-Traditional Payment Methods, The Bar Association of San Francisco, March 14, 2013
  • Ethics and Social Media, presented by the Bay Area APALSA (Asian Pacific-Islander American Law Students Association) Annual Meeting, Jan. 26, 2013
  • MCLE Live Day 2013: Legal Ethics, Santa Clara County Bar Association, Jan. 25, 2013
  • Elimination of Bias, Sunnyvale-Cupertino Bar Association, Jan. 14, 2013
  • Legal Ethics for Solo Practitioners, Santa Clara Law How to Start a Solo Practice program, Dec. 14, 2012
  • Ethics of Social Media for Lawyers, The Bar Association of San Francisco, Nov. 27, 2012
  • Conflicts 101, State Bar of California 85th Annual Meeting, Oct. 13, 2012
  • Ethics for Attorneys: Hot Topics in 2012, The Knowledge Congress, Aug. 29, 2012
  • Ethics Updates for Legal Professionals, Santa Clara County Legal Professionals Association, March 22, 2012
  • The State Bar Discipline System, Santa Clara Bar Association, Jan. 20, 2012
  • Eliminating Bias, Sunnyvale-Cupertino Bar Association, Jan. 9, 2012

Peninsula

Peninsula

411 Borel Avenue, Suite 310
San Mateo, CA, 94402-3535

650-963-2170 650-963-2171

Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley

55 South Market St., Suite 900
San Jose, CA, 95113-2324

408-287-9501 408-287-2583

Tri-Valley

Tri-Valley

6801 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 210
Pleasanton, CA, 94566-7047

925-224-7780 925-224-7782

Mackrell International California Minority Counsel Program Best Places to Work 2019 Bay Area Green Business