Ayhan M. Menekshe was born in Salisbury, Maryland. He spent early years of his life in Istanbul, Turkey. At age 15, he was one of the 285 students accepted to University of Ankara, Faculty of Law out of over 3 million who took the entrance exam. He was also one of the 13 students in his class who graduated in 1980. After graduating, Mr. Menekshe started working as an assistant professor of law at the same University focusing his studies on civil procedure, insurance law, marine transportation and commercial and business law. He has taken the entrance examinations for master’s program and completed three different masters’ thesis. His studies were published in various law journals. Mr. Menekshe completed his apprenticeship in various courts as well and passed the bar exam in Turkey. He started practicing with some of his professors on marine insurance and transportation as well as environmental cases arising out of maritime accidents. He also took and passed the doctorate program entrance exams and after 6 years in that program obtained his “Doctor Iur” degree and completed his thesis on “Protection and Indemnity Clubs in Maritime Transportation Risks”. He then obtained an associate professorship in the Faculty of Law and taught courses on civil procedure and litigation, commercial law, insurance law, banking law, and mass torts and environmental torts. He has published numerous articles and over 13 books including books on liquidation of banks and insurance companies. Mr. Menekshe served as a member of the Banking and Commercial Law Institute as well as the Turkish Association of Insurance Law [Member of the International Association of Insurance Law/Association Internationale de Droit des Assurances (A.I.D.A)].
Mr. Menekshe returned to the United States in 1986 and became a visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law for two years. He then enrolled and graduated from Golden Gate University, School of law in San Francisco. In addition, Mr. Menekshe completed course work at The Cotchett Trial Advocacy Center at the University of California Hastings College of the Law.
Mr. Menekshe thereafter gained legal experience by working for several large law firms practicing in the fields of corporate law, asbestos litigation, toxic torts, real estate, and general litigation. He started working for a multi-state insurance defense firm in 1999 and subsequently managed the firm’s San Jose office. Mr. Menekshe handled a large case load involving a wide array of personal injury, general and commercial liability, premises liability, construction defect claims, mold exposure, insurance subrogation and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mr. Menekshe has handled every phase of litigation including numerous mediations, arbitrations and trials.
In 2006 Mr. Menekshe established Menekshe Law Firm where he focuses on cases involving civil litigation/insurance defense, construction defect, personal injury, general and commercial liability, products liability and premises liability.
ADMISSIONS
California State Bar
State Bar Number: 197467
EDUCATION
Participating in the Santa Clara County Bar Association Judge Pro Tem Program
Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, CA College of Trial Advocacy (2000)
Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco, CA Juris Doctor (1997)
University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law, Berkeley, California Visiting Scholar (1988 – 1989)
University of Ankara, Faculty of Law, Ankara, Turkey Doctorate in Judicial Sciences (1986)
University of Ankara, Faculty of Law, Ankara, Turkey Bachelor’s Degree (1980)