John C. Manly
Senior Attorney
Practice Area
Business, Construction Law, Native American Outreach, Personal Injury Litigation, Real Estate and Sexual Abuse.
Education:
University of South California (B.A.)
Pepperdine University (J.D.)
Admissions:
State Bars of California, Alaska, Arizona, New York and Oregon.
Additional Information:
A former U.S. Naval Reserve Officer, John has been named one of California's Top 100 Attorneys and Orange County's Most "Buzzworthy".
Named one of California’s “Top 100 Attorneys” by the Los Angeles Daily Journal, and Orange County's most "Buzzworthy" attorney by Orange Coast Magazine, John C. Manly is the nation's leading attorney in the civil protection of victims of childhood sexual abuse.
For the past fifteen years, John has been a leading civil authority on the Sexual Abuse Crisis in the United States and abroad. After winning a record settlement against the Diocese of Orange for his first clergy abuse client, John has built a powerful team of consultants and experts that is unmatched worldwide. Now representing more than 500 clients in numerous states, territories, and foreign countries, Manly and his team have been prominently featured in print and on broadcast news in the U.S. and abroad for their work to expose perpetrators and the men and women who cover up for them.
In 2005, John appeared in Amy Berg's Academy-Award nominated documentary "Deliver Us From Evil," which featured his role in the civil prosecution of predator priest Oliver O'Grady and the church officials who allowed O'Grady to continue abusing children.
John and his team have won some of the largest monetary civil awards – in trial and settlement - for men and women who were sexually abused as children. The reason for their unrivaled success resides in their deep intrinsic knowledge in the institutions that have harbored sex offenders, including the Catholic Church.
In the past few years, John and his team have represented more than 150 clergy sexual abuse victims in California, including clients in the recent $100 million settlement against the Diocese of Orange, the $660 million settlement against the
Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and the $150 million settlement against the
Diocese of San Diego. In Alaska, John has represented approximately 300 Alaska Native victims in a $50 million settlement against the Jesuit Order as well as victims in the
Diocese of Fairbanks and in new cases against the Jesuits.
John’s recent work in Delaware representing more than 75 victims of child sexual abuse has led to the exposure of numerous clerics and employees who, despite credible allegations and/or confessions, were allowed to continue working with children.
He also represents clients in Connecticut, South Dakota and New York.
Born in San Mateo and raised in Southern California, John obtained a bachelor's degree in international relations and a certificate in defense and strategic studies from the University of Southern California.
John received his J.D. from Pepperdine University Law School and served as a law clerk to the General Counsel of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in Washington, D.C. He also served in the United States Naval Reserve as an Intelligence Officer.
A member of the California, Arizona, New York and Alaska Bar Associations, John is also admitted to practice in numerous district federal courts.
In addition to his work for victims of child sex abuse, John has acquired a national reputation for successfully addressing the legal and operational challenges confronted by owners, managers and operators of multi-family and commercial properties, including indoor air pollution, construction litigation, insurance bad faith, and building envelope deficiencies. As a testament to his expertise, he has addressed national, regional and local conventions of the largest property owners and managers in the United States. In addition, his articles about real estate and construction law have been published in the industry's top trade publications.
Prior to founding Manly & Stewart, John was a principal in the firm of Freberg & Manly.