Manish Ankola, LDA

Litigation is expensive. Attorney fees and costs can add up quickly. My goal is to empower self-represented parties, assist them in their legal matters, provide cost-effective solutions, and fashion their own solutions without the emotional damage, delay, and exorbitant costs associated with litigation.

I am a caring and selfless person who lives for the life of others. I have always believed disputes can be resolved amicably, if the Parties are willing to talk. I am committed to help resolve disputes quickly, ethically, and economically through Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Mediation.

My Story

I am a long time Bay Area resident. I immigrated from India in 1990 after getting an Engineering degree from University of Mumbai, India, got my Masters in Computer Engineering from University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. I worked in the semiconductor industry for about 25 years. I worked for LSI Logic, Intel, and then for 19+ years at Sun Microsystems/Oracle until 2017. It was in 2017, I was laid off from Oracle and I made a transition from tech to a new career in law.

I acquired a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from John F. Kennedy University School of Law in May 2020. Though I have a JD, I am not an attorney and I cannot give legal advice. At law school, I worked on a pro bono basis with the Elder Law Clinic assisting seniors with wills, trusts, health-care directives, power of attorney, restraining orders, and other legal needs. I worked as intern, legal clerk, and legal assistant in Bay Area family law firms gaining significant experience in all aspects of family law matters, assisted in highly contested divorces, and drafted pleadings, under supervision of attorney.

I am a trained mediator. I completed the requisite mediation training from Steven Rosenberg, one of the best in the Industry. I also volunteered as a mediator with the Congress of Neutrals in Contra Costa County Courts.

I am a bonded and registered Legal Document Assistant (LDA) No. 240 in Santa Clara County. I am a member of the California Association of Legal Assistant Documents (CALDA.org) and Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA).

I have been living in Santa Clara County since 1993. I can understand and speak Hindi. I am divorced and have two adult boys. I enjoy traveling, hiking, trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with friends and family.

In 2011, I founded a Divorce Support Group on Meetup.com which was community partners with India Community Center in Milpitas and connected to various non-profits in the Bay Area. I have completed Domestic Violence Advocacy Training and support organizations that strive to end domestic violence and increase access to justice for survivors.

Please note, I am not an attorney. As LDA, I can only provide self help services at your direction. As a neutral mediator and facilitator, I can only help resolve conflicts and settle differences. I do not offer legal advice, discuss legal strategies, answer questions of a legal nature, select forms, interpret documents, or appear in court on the consumer’s behalf.

Contact

I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities.

Let's connect.

manish@mankolalegal.com

(408) 479-8562