The first inhabitants of San Jose were Ohlone Native Americans until Europeans from Spain settled in the area in 1769 upon the arrival of the Spanish mission system under Father Junipero Serra. San Jose was founded on Nov. 29, 1777, as El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, and it was the first civilian town in the Spanish colony of Nueva California. The city's original purpose was to serve as a farming community that supported the Spanish military installations at San Francisco and Monterey. Mexico gained control of the area after gaining its independence from Spain in 1821. Then the area became part of the United States when California was annexed during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). In 1850, after California gained statehood, San Jose was incorporated and briefly served as the state capital.
For more than 150 years, San Jose was largely an agricultural community and it retained some of the last undeveloped tracts of land in the San Francisco Bay Area until World War II. After the war, though, many veterans settled in the area and San Jose grew rapidly. First notable for its canneries, the city's industrial manufacturing base expanded, and San Jose expanded in size through annexations of neighboring land areas. In 1943 IBM established its West Coast headquarters in San Jose and opened a research and development facility in 1952, which spurred the growth of San Jose's economy. There was noticeable growth in the high-technology and electronic sectors in San Jose through the 1950s and 1960s, and the city grew apace. During the 1980s and 1990s San Jose's prominence in the Silicon Valley blossomed, sparking rapid growth in both its economy and population. San Jose is referred to as the "Capital of Silicon Valley," as it is home to many technology and computer companies such as Adobe Systems, Cisco, Acer and eBay.
San Jose is the largest city in the Bay Area, the third largest city in California, and the tenth largest city in the United States. The city is the county seat of Santa Clara County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of San Jose stood at 945,942 in 2010. The city lies south of San Francisco, is close to the Pacific Ocean, and it is considered the population hub of the Bay Area, with communities emanating out from its valley. Its climate is Mediterranean and receives around 300 days of sunshine a year. Within San Jose there are four valleys: Almaden Valley, Evergreen Valley, Santa Clara Valley and Coyote Valley. Mountains surround the city on three sides, somewhat sheltering it from heavy rain. However, the city does have microclimates, which ultimately affect temperature and rainfall within different sections of the city. Geographically, the city is divided into regions: downtown San Jose, Central, West, North, East and South. Some of the most visited and well-known communities in these regions include downtown San Jose, Willow Glen, West San Jose, Winchester, Almaden Valley, Blossom Valley and East Foothills.
San Jose's cost of living is the highest in California due to the high housing costs, yet households in the city have the highest disposable income compared to other cities with more than 500,000 residents. San Jose is an interesting place to visit, as it has many landmarks such as Lick Observatory, Mount Hamilton, Plaza de Cesar Chavez, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, HP Pavilion and San Jose City Hall. With its strong economy, pleasant climate and vibrant communities, San Jose is a one of the best places to visit, work and live.
At the Brod Law Firm, we take tremendous pride in representing the interests of individuals and small businesses in and around San Jose, and all parts of Santa Clara County. We provide outstanding legal representation to all of our clients, and we focus on the resolution of disputes in the most efficient way possible.
We are San Jose injury attorneys who work on a contingency-fee basis in personal injury cases. In these types of cases, legal fees are owed only if there is a recovery obtained on your behalf. We are San Jose business attorneys who take excellent care of our small-business clients, and we do not represent insurance companies or large corporations. Whether a case can be resolved immediately, or must be taken to a jury trial or an appeal, representing our clients effectively, efficiently and zealously is always the No. 1 priority.
Our San Jose office is at 1999 S. Bascom Ave., Suite 700.
Directions to our San Francisco office from San Jose are as follows: Take U.S. Highway 101 north to San Francisco, and stay toward the right onto Interstate 80 east toward the Bay Bridge. Take the Fourth Street exit and bear left onto Bryant Street. Turn left onto Third Street and then turn right onto Mission Street. Turn left onto Anthony Street and then turn right onto Jessie Street. The office is at 100 Pine St #1250. on the left side of the street.