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Scarlett","LawyerGivenName":"Randall H.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Scarlett","LawyerInitials":"RS","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Scarlett Law Group","RecognizedSinceYear":2009,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":80352,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},"Biography":{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/randall-h-scarlett-80352?t=2021021119045451","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/randall-h-scarlett/80352","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Randall H. Scarlett","LawyerGivenName":"Randall H.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Scarlett","LawyerInitials":"RS","Biography":"Randall H. Scarlett is a seasoned San\nFrancisco personal injury lawyer and managing partner at Scarlett Law Group.\nWith significant experience handling serious injury cases, Mr. Scarlett focuses\nhis practice on TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries) and catastrophic accident cases.\nAfter decades of experience in the legal field, Mr. Scarlett uses proven\nstrategies to help his clients pursue maximum compensation for their damages.\nIn addition to his experience, he has earned an AV Preeminent® rating from\nMartindale-Hubbell® and been recognized by Best\nLawyers in America®. Mr. Scarlett earned his B.A. from the San Francisco\nState University and his Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of\nLaw.","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},"Contact":null,"Pages":[{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/randall-h-scarlett-80352?t=2021021119045451","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/randall-h-scarlett/80352","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Randall H. 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Scarlett","LawyerGivenName":"Randall H.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Scarlett","LawyerInitials":"RS","Biography":"Randall H. Scarlett is a seasoned San\nFrancisco personal injury lawyer and managing partner at Scarlett Law Group.\nWith significant experience handling serious injury cases, Mr. Scarlett focuses\nhis practice on TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries) and catastrophic accident cases.\nAfter decades of experience in the legal field, Mr. Scarlett uses proven\nstrategies to help his clients pursue maximum compensation for their damages.\nIn addition to his experience, he has earned an AV Preeminent® rating from\nMartindale-Hubbell® and been recognized by Best\nLawyers in America®. Mr. Scarlett earned his B.A. from the San Francisco\nState University and his Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of\nLaw.","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},null],"ViewName":"Paged","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Paged.cshtml","CssClass":"card d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-transparent swiper-slide","AriaLabel":"Paged"},{"BasicInfo":{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/aimee-kirby-222046?t=2024101415373703","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/aimee-kirby/222046","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Aimee Kirby","LawyerGivenName":"Aimee","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Kirby","LawyerInitials":"AK","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Dolan Law Firm PC","RecognizedSinceYear":2024,"LocationName":"Los Angeles, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":222046,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - 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Dolan","LawyerGivenName":"Christopher B.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Dolan","LawyerInitials":"CD","Biography":"
A Champion of Justice
Under Chris' leadership, the Dolan Law Firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for its clients and become one of California's premier plaintiffs' firms serving clients injured due to the fault of another or were discriminated against or harassed in the workplace.
Recognized as one of the top 25 plaintiff's lawyers in California, Chris spearheads many of the most significant and challenging lawsuits filed in California state and federal courts against insurance companies, Fortune 500 companies, cities, school districts, public agencies, and product manufacturers.
Extraordinary Results and Record Verdicts
Possessing a \"history of winning multi-million judgments for his clients,\" as noted by the San Francisco Business Times, Chris has successfully tried over 45 cases and settled hundreds of lawsuits on favorable terms for his clients.
Chris' unparalleled success in civil litigation includes the largest verdict - $61 million - ever in U.S. history for individuals subjected to racial and ethnic discrimination and harassment in violation of their civil rights. The case involved two Lebanese-Americans who after 9/11 were repeatedly taunted by their manager and coworkers as \"terrorists,\" \"sand niggers,\" and other slurs.
Demonstrating Chris' passion for justice and commitment to his clients no matter the prejudice in society, Chris took the case after 10 other law firms, the NAACP, and ACLU all had rejected it. For his outstanding success in the case, California Lawyer magazine awarded Chris its prestigious California Lawyer of the Year Award.
Chris supervises all cases litigated by the Dolan Law Firm. He has obtained jury verdicts or settlements of more than $1 million in an additional 20 cases. Some of the settlements in these cases were in excess of $10 million but were confidential and cannot be listed. A representative sample of awards in personal injury lawsuits and employment law cases obtained by Chris for his clients include:
* $20,000,000.00 verdict in employee whistle-blower case against largest timeshare company, Wyndham, for woman who reported fraud on elderly timeshare purchasers
* $16,500,000 recovery for pedestrian killed in San Francisco
* $6,500,000 recovery for a motorcycle rider severely injured due to a dangerous roadway condition;
* $6,500,000 recovery in wrongful death action brought by husband whose wife was killed in a head-on collision due to driver crossing the center line;
* $5,950,000 recovery in dependent adult abuse case for woman who suffered brain injury when improperly restrained
* $5,000,000 recovery from CalTrans for bicyclist catastrophically injured by dangerous bike lane
A Leader Among Trial Lawyers
Chris has been recognized by numerous California and national publications as one of the foremost trial lawyers and skilled negotiators in California. The Daily Journal, the leading legal newspaper in California, selected Chris as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in California and one of California's Top 25 Plaintiffs' Lawyers.
Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers have ranked Chris as a premier personal injury and product liability attorney in Northern California. Chris has received a rating of AV Preeminent from Martindale Hubbell for very high ethical standards and professional excellence as evaluated by his peers in the legal community.
In 2010, Chris served as President of the Consumer Attorneys of California (\"CAOC\"), the largest statewide association of trial lawyers in the U.S. In 2013, the CAOC honored Chris with an award for his \"many years of dedication, outstanding efforts, and effectiveness\" in advancing the rights of the injured and consumers in California. In 2016, Chris served as President of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (\"SFTLA\"). Both the CAOC and SFTLA have honored Chris with their trial lawyer of the year awards.
Chris speaks at multiple California and national legal conferences each year educating lawyers on best practices in the courtroom and emerging trends in the law. Chris is often called upon as a legal expert for national and local television and radio programs including CNN, Fox News, Dateline NBC, and NPR. He also writes a weekly column for the San Francisco Examiner in which he answers reader questions on new legislation and legal issues in the news.
Promoting Safety, Ending Discrimination, And Safeguarding Our Constitutional Rights
While obtaining the maximum financial recovery allowed under the law for his clients remains a constant focus of Chris' practice, he knows that justice means more than money. Working closely with his clients, Chris has forced cities and counties to fix dangerous streets and intersections and manufacturers to produce safer products.
For over 20 years, Chris has worked tirelessly on behalf of his clients to stop discrimination embedded in workplace polices and practices that caused them deep emotional pain and prevented their career advancement. In 2016, The Advocate has selected Chris as one of the top 25 Attorneys Fighting For Trans Rights, helping transgender persons secure their equal rights.
In the words of the CAOC, Chris puts \"his heart and soul\" into preserving access to the courthouse for all Californians and \"has worked unrelentingly to change\" unjust laws. Chris frequently testifies before California legislative committees in support of legislation advancing consumer rights. In 2014, Chris played an instrumental role in convincing the Legislature to adopt a statute requiring ride share companies like Uber to provide $1 million in insurance coverage so that anyone injured due to the fault of a ride share driver would obtain just compensation for his or her injuries.
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Under Chris' leadership, the Dolan Law Firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for its clients and become one of California's premier plaintiffs' firms serving clients injured due to the fault of another or were discriminated against or harassed in the workplace.
Recognized as one of the top 25 plaintiff's lawyers in California, Chris spearheads many of the most significant and challenging lawsuits filed in California state and federal courts against insurance companies, Fortune 500 companies, cities, school districts, public agencies, and product manufacturers.
Extraordinary Results and Record Verdicts
Possessing a \"history of winning multi-million judgments for his clients,\" as noted by the San Francisco Business Times, Chris has successfully tried over 45 cases and settled hundreds of lawsuits on favorable terms for his clients.
Chris' unparalleled success in civil litigation includes the largest verdict - $61 million - ever in U.S. history for individuals subjected to racial and ethnic discrimination and harassment in violation of their civil rights. The case involved two Lebanese-Americans who after 9/11 were repeatedly taunted by their manager and coworkers as \"terrorists,\" \"sand niggers,\" and other slurs.
Demonstrating Chris' passion for justice and commitment to his clients no matter the prejudice in society, Chris took the case after 10 other law firms, the NAACP, and ACLU all had rejected it. For his outstanding success in the case, California Lawyer magazine awarded Chris its prestigious California Lawyer of the Year Award.
Chris supervises all cases litigated by the Dolan Law Firm. He has obtained jury verdicts or settlements of more than $1 million in an additional 20 cases. Some of the settlements in these cases were in excess of $10 million but were confidential and cannot be listed. A representative sample of awards in personal injury lawsuits and employment law cases obtained by Chris for his clients include:
* $20,000,000.00 verdict in employee whistle-blower case against largest timeshare company, Wyndham, for woman who reported fraud on elderly timeshare purchasers
* $16,500,000 recovery for pedestrian killed in San Francisco
* $6,500,000 recovery for a motorcycle rider severely injured due to a dangerous roadway condition;
* $6,500,000 recovery in wrongful death action brought by husband whose wife was killed in a head-on collision due to driver crossing the center line;
* $5,950,000 recovery in dependent adult abuse case for woman who suffered brain injury when improperly restrained
* $5,000,000 recovery from CalTrans for bicyclist catastrophically injured by dangerous bike lane
A Leader Among Trial Lawyers
Chris has been recognized by numerous California and national publications as one of the foremost trial lawyers and skilled negotiators in California. The Daily Journal, the leading legal newspaper in California, selected Chris as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in California and one of California's Top 25 Plaintiffs' Lawyers.
Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers have ranked Chris as a premier personal injury and product liability attorney in Northern California. Chris has received a rating of AV Preeminent from Martindale Hubbell for very high ethical standards and professional excellence as evaluated by his peers in the legal community.
In 2010, Chris served as President of the Consumer Attorneys of California (\"CAOC\"), the largest statewide association of trial lawyers in the U.S. In 2013, the CAOC honored Chris with an award for his \"many years of dedication, outstanding efforts, and effectiveness\" in advancing the rights of the injured and consumers in California. In 2016, Chris served as President of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (\"SFTLA\"). Both the CAOC and SFTLA have honored Chris with their trial lawyer of the year awards.
Chris speaks at multiple California and national legal conferences each year educating lawyers on best practices in the courtroom and emerging trends in the law. Chris is often called upon as a legal expert for national and local television and radio programs including CNN, Fox News, Dateline NBC, and NPR. He also writes a weekly column for the San Francisco Examiner in which he answers reader questions on new legislation and legal issues in the news.
Promoting Safety, Ending Discrimination, And Safeguarding Our Constitutional Rights
While obtaining the maximum financial recovery allowed under the law for his clients remains a constant focus of Chris' practice, he knows that justice means more than money. Working closely with his clients, Chris has forced cities and counties to fix dangerous streets and intersections and manufacturers to produce safer products.
For over 20 years, Chris has worked tirelessly on behalf of his clients to stop discrimination embedded in workplace polices and practices that caused them deep emotional pain and prevented their career advancement. In 2016, The Advocate has selected Chris as one of the top 25 Attorneys Fighting For Trans Rights, helping transgender persons secure their equal rights.
In the words of the CAOC, Chris puts \"his heart and soul\" into preserving access to the courthouse for all Californians and \"has worked unrelentingly to change\" unjust laws. Chris frequently testifies before California legislative committees in support of legislation advancing consumer rights. In 2014, Chris played an instrumental role in convincing the Legislature to adopt a statute requiring ride share companies like Uber to provide $1 million in insurance coverage so that anyone injured due to the fault of a ride share driver would obtain just compensation for his or her injuries.
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She represents plaintiffs in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death cases. Ms. Levy was selected as a 2023 Best Lawyer in America by US News. She was also recognized by her peers as a Super Lawyers Rising Star 2016-2021.
Ms. Levy is the President of the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association where she focuses on community outreach, local charity work, and ensuring access to the legal system.
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Ms. Levy is the President of the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association where she focuses on community outreach, local charity work, and ensuring access to the legal system.
Recently, her appellate briefing with Chris Dolan and Jeremy Jessup in McGovern v. BHC Fremont Hospital 87 Cal.App.5th 181 clarified the law with respect to CCP section 364 letters in medical malpractice actions; and provided the right of an injured patient to obtain mental health records of their assailant which were ordinarily protected from disclosure; the First District Court of Appeal’s published opinion revived their client’s claim which had been ruled barred by the statute of limitations and provided a path to obtain the necessary discovery for their client to prevail.
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Andrew graduated magna cum laude with a degree in mechanical engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He received numerous academic honors, including being named to the President’s List, the Dean’s List, an invitation into Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi engineering honor societies, and acceptance into the Golden Key International Honor Society.
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Conor specializes in complex personal injury and wrongful death cases and has a long track record of success. Conor has extensive experience in cases involving traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and catastrophic orthopedic injuries. He has represented victims of dangerous products, premises liability, vehicle negligence, workplace injuries and medical malpractice.
His victories in the courtroom have included numerous seven and eight-figure jury verdicts often in cases where the defendants offered little or no money before trial. Conor’s recent verdicts include a $38.6 million jury verdict on behalf of a 19-year-old client rendered quadriplegic by medical negligence; a $5.4 million jury verdict on behalf of a family harmed in a multi-vehicle collision involving a Supershuttle van; and a $3.0 million verdict for negligent building maintenance which resulted in a deadly electrical fire inside a tenant’s apartment.
Conor also has experience handling multi-party claims mass tort having represented a group of Irish Nationals in premises liability and construction defect claims stemming from the tragic Berkeley Balcony Collapse of June 2015 which resulted in the deaths of six people and severe injuries to seven others. He is active in ongoing litigation against manufacturers of deadly e-cigarette products.
Conor has been recognized of one of the Best Lawyers in America. He is a member of the Irish Legal 100, a select group of distinguished legal professional in the United States who are of Irish descent. He is recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer.
A native of San Francisco, Conor is active in the Bay Area legal community. He has served as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of California, Hastings Law School and regularly serves as an invited speaker at continuing legal education programs. He is a member of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, American Association of Justice and San Francisco Bar Association. Conor lives in San Francisco with his wife and three young children.
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Conor specializes in complex personal injury and wrongful death cases and has a long track record of success. Conor has extensive experience in cases involving traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and catastrophic orthopedic injuries. He has represented victims of dangerous products, premises liability, vehicle negligence, workplace injuries and medical malpractice.
His victories in the courtroom have included numerous seven and eight-figure jury verdicts often in cases where the defendants offered little or no money before trial. Conor’s recent verdicts include a $38.6 million jury verdict on behalf of a 19-year-old client rendered quadriplegic by medical negligence; a $5.4 million jury verdict on behalf of a family harmed in a multi-vehicle collision involving a Supershuttle van; and a $3.0 million verdict for negligent building maintenance which resulted in a deadly electrical fire inside a tenant’s apartment.
Conor also has experience handling multi-party claims mass tort having represented a group of Irish Nationals in premises liability and construction defect claims stemming from the tragic Berkeley Balcony Collapse of June 2015 which resulted in the deaths of six people and severe injuries to seven others. He is active in ongoing litigation against manufacturers of deadly e-cigarette products.
Conor has been recognized of one of the Best Lawyers in America. He is a member of the Irish Legal 100, a select group of distinguished legal professional in the United States who are of Irish descent. He is recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer.
A native of San Francisco, Conor is active in the Bay Area legal community. He has served as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of California, Hastings Law School and regularly serves as an invited speaker at continuing legal education programs. He is a member of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, American Association of Justice and San Francisco Bar Association. Conor lives in San Francisco with his wife and three young children.
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Specializing in complex injuries caused by third-party negligence, Ms. Cheng has obtained multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of disabled plaintiffs. She obtained a $15,000,000 verdict on behalf of a young man who suffered brain injuries due to the delayed diagnosis of a stroke. She completed a $19,000,000 settlement for parents whose son was crushed by a defective gate in a school yard. She secured a $13,500,000 settlement on behalf of pilot who suffered severe brain damage due to carbon monoxide poisoning. She obtained a $9,000,000 award to care for a severely disabled boy in a wrongful life action.
A frequent guest lecturer and adjunct professor, Ms. Cheng has trained lawyers and judges nationally and internationally. As part of the Rule of Law Initiative, she has had the privilege of training trial lawyers and judges in Mexico, Kosovo, and Macedonia. She has also collaborated and trained with civil practitioners in Singapore and Belfast. She regularly directs trial skills training programs for criminal prosecution offices in Scotland and throughout the Caribbean Basin.
Ms. Cheng is the Program Director of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s Western Region Advocacy Teacher Training Program. She is a past recipient of the Robert E. Keeton Award for outstanding service by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and a past recipient of the University of San Francisco Professional Achievement Award. She is the inaugural recipient of the American Board of Trial Advocates' Champion of Justice Award (2022).
Ms. Cheng is involved in local bar associations and community organizations. She was the 106th President of the Bar Association of San Francisco. She is a past President of the San Francisco Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, and Justice and Diversity Center. She is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocacy, and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. She serves on the Kaiser Arbitration Oversight Board and is a Board Trustee of the University of San Francisco.
She is a co-author of the eminent Rutter Group California Practice Guide on Personal Injury, and the trial practice guide, Mastering the Mechanics of Civil Jury Trials.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},"Contact":null,"Pages":[{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/doris-cheng-95335?t=2024070200573536","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/doris-cheng/95335","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Doris Cheng","LawyerGivenName":"Doris","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Cheng","LawyerInitials":"DC","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2010,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":95335,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/doris-cheng-95335?t=2024070200573536","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/doris-cheng/95335","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Doris Cheng","LawyerGivenName":"Doris","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Cheng","LawyerInitials":"DC","Biography":"Doris Cheng has been ranked as one of the top 10 lawyers in Northern California. She is listed among the Best Lawyers of America®, LawDragon 500 Leading Lawyers, SuperLawyers® and San Francisco Best Lawyers. She was chosen as Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers of America for 2017.
Specializing in complex injuries caused by third-party negligence, Ms. Cheng has obtained multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of disabled plaintiffs. She obtained a $15,000,000 verdict on behalf of a young man who suffered brain injuries due to the delayed diagnosis of a stroke. She completed a $19,000,000 settlement for parents whose son was crushed by a defective gate in a school yard. She secured a $13,500,000 settlement on behalf of pilot who suffered severe brain damage due to carbon monoxide poisoning. She obtained a $9,000,000 award to care for a severely disabled boy in a wrongful life action.
A frequent guest lecturer and adjunct professor, Ms. Cheng has trained lawyers and judges nationally and internationally. As part of the Rule of Law Initiative, she has had the privilege of training trial lawyers and judges in Mexico, Kosovo, and Macedonia. She has also collaborated and trained with civil practitioners in Singapore and Belfast. She regularly directs trial skills training programs for criminal prosecution offices in Scotland and throughout the Caribbean Basin.
Ms. Cheng is the Program Director of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s Western Region Advocacy Teacher Training Program. She is a past recipient of the Robert E. Keeton Award for outstanding service by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and a past recipient of the University of San Francisco Professional Achievement Award. She is the inaugural recipient of the American Board of Trial Advocates' Champion of Justice Award (2022).
Ms. Cheng is involved in local bar associations and community organizations. She was the 106th President of the Bar Association of San Francisco. She is a past President of the San Francisco Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, and Justice and Diversity Center. She is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocacy, and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. She serves on the Kaiser Arbitration Oversight Board and is a Board Trustee of the University of San Francisco.
She is a co-author of the eminent Rutter Group California Practice Guide on Personal Injury, and the trial practice guide, Mastering the Mechanics of Civil Jury Trials.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},null],"ViewName":"Paged","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Paged.cshtml","CssClass":"card d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-transparent swiper-slide","AriaLabel":"Paged"},{"BasicInfo":{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/douglas-s-saeltzer-95336?t=2021091514431326","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/douglas-s-saeltzer/95336","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Douglas S. Saeltzer","LawyerGivenName":"Douglas S.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Saeltzer","LawyerInitials":"DS","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2009,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":95336,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},"Biography":{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/douglas-s-saeltzer-95336?t=2021091514431326","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/douglas-s-saeltzer/95336","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Douglas S. Saeltzer","LawyerGivenName":"Douglas S.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Saeltzer","LawyerInitials":"DS","Biography":"Mr. Saeltzer specializes in resolving large cases on behalf of seriously injured people by way of trial or settlement. He prides himself on holding powerful entities responsible for the wrongs they committed.
Mr. Saeltzer’s meticulous approach to the preparation and trial of cases has resulted in over $100,000,000 in jury verdicts and settlements for his clients.
Mr. Saeltzer began his legal career as a prosecutor in the United States Army. After graduating from the University of California at Hastings College of the Law in 1994, Mr. Saeltzer accepted a direct commission into the United States Army Judge Advocate General Corps. After attending the U.S. Army Airborne School, he was selected for the 82nd Airborne Division and assigned responsibility for prosecuting criminal cases.
After one year as a trial counsel, his Commander appointed him Senior Trial Counsel responsible for overseeing all 82nd Airborne Division criminal prosecutions. Mr. Saeltzer was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain, and his military achievements include receiving the Meritorious Service Medal for his work as a prosecuting attorney.
After leaving the Army Mr. Saeltzer returned to San Francisco and brought his extensive trial experience to Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger where he has been representing seriously injured clients since 1998. In 2011 he was honored as the ” Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association for a $12,200,000 jury verdict obtained on behalf of a teenage girl left in a coma following a tragic accident. The pretrial settlement offer, in that case, was less than one-tenth of the eventual jury award. Mr. Saeltzer has also been successful in creating a law that protects people who are injured through the carelessness of others. Following a successful jury trial in 2006, Mr. Saeltzer fought to protect his client’s recovery at the California Court of Appeal and changed the law so that all injured workers are now assured full recovery for their lost wages.
Mr. Saeltzer’s experience and legal abilities are also sought outside of the courtroom. He is currently an assistant professor on the faculty at the University of California at Hastings College of the Law, where he has taught personal injury litigation since 2003. He also serves on the faculty of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy training new lawyers in courtroom skills and advocacy. Mr. Saeltzer has been an invited lecturer for the Continuing Education of the State Bar of California, San Francisco Bar Association, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, and the USLAW Network’s annual client conference. He has also served as an expert witness on case valuation and served a court-appointed mediator.
Mr. Saeltzer has been continuously selected as a Northern California Super Lawyer since 2010. Mr. Saeltzer was elected to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2010. Since 2011 he has been voted as one of The Best Lawyers in America by his peers. He is also “AV” peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, which is the highest such ranking for legal ability and ethics available to an individual attorney. He is also an active member of the American Association for Justice, Consumer Attorneys of California and the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association.
Outside of the courtroom, Mr. Saeltzer can be found spending time with his wife and three children.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},"Contact":null,"Pages":[{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/douglas-s-saeltzer-95336?t=2021091514431326","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/douglas-s-saeltzer/95336","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Douglas S. Saeltzer","LawyerGivenName":"Douglas S.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Saeltzer","LawyerInitials":"DS","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2009,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":95336,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/douglas-s-saeltzer-95336?t=2021091514431326","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/douglas-s-saeltzer/95336","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Douglas S. Saeltzer","LawyerGivenName":"Douglas S.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Saeltzer","LawyerInitials":"DS","Biography":"Mr. Saeltzer specializes in resolving large cases on behalf of seriously injured people by way of trial or settlement. He prides himself on holding powerful entities responsible for the wrongs they committed.
Mr. Saeltzer’s meticulous approach to the preparation and trial of cases has resulted in over $100,000,000 in jury verdicts and settlements for his clients.
Mr. Saeltzer began his legal career as a prosecutor in the United States Army. After graduating from the University of California at Hastings College of the Law in 1994, Mr. Saeltzer accepted a direct commission into the United States Army Judge Advocate General Corps. After attending the U.S. Army Airborne School, he was selected for the 82nd Airborne Division and assigned responsibility for prosecuting criminal cases.
After one year as a trial counsel, his Commander appointed him Senior Trial Counsel responsible for overseeing all 82nd Airborne Division criminal prosecutions. Mr. Saeltzer was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain, and his military achievements include receiving the Meritorious Service Medal for his work as a prosecuting attorney.
After leaving the Army Mr. Saeltzer returned to San Francisco and brought his extensive trial experience to Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger where he has been representing seriously injured clients since 1998. In 2011 he was honored as the ” Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association for a $12,200,000 jury verdict obtained on behalf of a teenage girl left in a coma following a tragic accident. The pretrial settlement offer, in that case, was less than one-tenth of the eventual jury award. Mr. Saeltzer has also been successful in creating a law that protects people who are injured through the carelessness of others. Following a successful jury trial in 2006, Mr. Saeltzer fought to protect his client’s recovery at the California Court of Appeal and changed the law so that all injured workers are now assured full recovery for their lost wages.
Mr. Saeltzer’s experience and legal abilities are also sought outside of the courtroom. He is currently an assistant professor on the faculty at the University of California at Hastings College of the Law, where he has taught personal injury litigation since 2003. He also serves on the faculty of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy training new lawyers in courtroom skills and advocacy. Mr. Saeltzer has been an invited lecturer for the Continuing Education of the State Bar of California, San Francisco Bar Association, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, and the USLAW Network’s annual client conference. He has also served as an expert witness on case valuation and served a court-appointed mediator.
Mr. Saeltzer has been continuously selected as a Northern California Super Lawyer since 2010. Mr. Saeltzer was elected to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2010. Since 2011 he has been voted as one of The Best Lawyers in America by his peers. He is also “AV” peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, which is the highest such ranking for legal ability and ethics available to an individual attorney. He is also an active member of the American Association for Justice, Consumer Attorneys of California and the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association.
Outside of the courtroom, Mr. Saeltzer can be found spending time with his wife and three children.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},null],"ViewName":"Paged","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Paged.cshtml","CssClass":"card d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-transparent swiper-slide","AriaLabel":"Paged"},{"BasicInfo":{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/khaldoun-a-baghdadi-95337?t=2021091514375116","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/khaldoun-a-baghdadi/95337","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Khaldoun A. Baghdadi","LawyerGivenName":"Khaldoun A.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Baghdadi","LawyerInitials":"KB","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2012,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":95337,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs","Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},"Biography":{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/khaldoun-a-baghdadi-95337?t=2021091514375116","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/khaldoun-a-baghdadi/95337","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Khaldoun A. Baghdadi","LawyerGivenName":"Khaldoun A.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Baghdadi","LawyerInitials":"KB","Biography":"Khaldoun Baghdadi has been with the firm for 20 years. In 2016,\nhe was part of the trial team in the Pinnacle hip implant litigation trial\nwhich resulted in a total verdict in excess of $1 billion dollars.
He has dedicated his career to being a trial lawyer, helping\npeople who need and deserve an advocate. He has served as lead trial counsel in\ncases throughout the State of California, on matters ranging from wrongful\ndeath, defective products, insurance disputes, medical negligence and public\ntransit injuries. Khaldoun has also prosecuted medical device defect and class\naction claims in courtrooms around the country.\n\n \n
Since 2009, Khaldoun has been named a Northern California Super\nLawyer®. In addition, Khaldoun is AV - Pre-Eminent rated by Martindale Hubbell,\nsignifying the highest peer review mark for ethics and standards of practice.\nHis AVVO professional rating is 10.0 - Superb, reflecting the highest rank\navailable.\n\n \n\n
Khaldoun served an adjunct instructor teaching trial advocacy at\nthe University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He also served as an\nadjunct professor at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.\nHe has also served as an instructor on trial technique, deposition practice and\nlawyering skills for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.
Active in the courtroom and the community, Khaldoun served the\nCity of San Francisco by way of Mayoral appointment to the San Francisco Human\nRights Commission. In 2006, he was elected chair of that body.
Khaldoun graduated cum laude from the University of California,\nIrvine, and obtained his law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law.\n\n \n
He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},"Contact":null,"Pages":[{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/khaldoun-a-baghdadi-95337?t=2021091514375116","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/khaldoun-a-baghdadi/95337","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Khaldoun A. Baghdadi","LawyerGivenName":"Khaldoun A.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Baghdadi","LawyerInitials":"KB","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2012,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":95337,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs","Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/khaldoun-a-baghdadi-95337?t=2021091514375116","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/khaldoun-a-baghdadi/95337","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Khaldoun A. Baghdadi","LawyerGivenName":"Khaldoun A.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Baghdadi","LawyerInitials":"KB","Biography":"Khaldoun Baghdadi has been with the firm for 20 years. In 2016,\nhe was part of the trial team in the Pinnacle hip implant litigation trial\nwhich resulted in a total verdict in excess of $1 billion dollars.
He has dedicated his career to being a trial lawyer, helping\npeople who need and deserve an advocate. He has served as lead trial counsel in\ncases throughout the State of California, on matters ranging from wrongful\ndeath, defective products, insurance disputes, medical negligence and public\ntransit injuries. Khaldoun has also prosecuted medical device defect and class\naction claims in courtrooms around the country.\n\n \n
Since 2009, Khaldoun has been named a Northern California Super\nLawyer®. In addition, Khaldoun is AV - Pre-Eminent rated by Martindale Hubbell,\nsignifying the highest peer review mark for ethics and standards of practice.\nHis AVVO professional rating is 10.0 - Superb, reflecting the highest rank\navailable.\n\n \n\n
Khaldoun served an adjunct instructor teaching trial advocacy at\nthe University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He also served as an\nadjunct professor at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.\nHe has also served as an instructor on trial technique, deposition practice and\nlawyering skills for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.
Active in the courtroom and the community, Khaldoun served the\nCity of San Francisco by way of Mayoral appointment to the San Francisco Human\nRights Commission. In 2006, he was elected chair of that body.
Khaldoun graduated cum laude from the University of California,\nIrvine, and obtained his law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law.\n\n \n
He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},null],"ViewName":"Paged","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Paged.cshtml","CssClass":"card d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-transparent swiper-slide","AriaLabel":"Paged"},{"BasicInfo":{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/matthew-matt-davis-61495?t=2021091514391988","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/matthew-d-matt-davis/61495","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Matthew D. Davis","LawyerGivenName":"Matthew D.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Davis","LawyerInitials":"MD","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2007,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":61495,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},"Biography":{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/matthew-matt-davis-61495?t=2021091514391988","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/matthew-d-matt-davis/61495","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Matthew D. Davis","LawyerGivenName":"Matthew D.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Davis","LawyerInitials":"MD","Biography":"Matt Davis is a graduate of UC Hastings Law San Francisco, obtaining his law degree in 1989. He worked for a San Francisco litigation boutique until 1992, when he was recruited by the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. From 1992 through 2001, he represented the municipality and its employees in jury trials and appeals in both state and federal courts. While working for the City, he had an active role in San Francisco’s litigation against the Bank of America that culminated in a $187 million settlement, and obtained a record-breaking judgment against a title insurance and escrow company for more than $50 million.
Matt has focused his practice on matters that he personally cares about, and he and his colleagues have strived to make their communities safer, and prevent future injuries, deaths and tragedies.
Matt joined the Walkup Firm in 2001, and has since handled many legally significant and high value cases in state and federal courts. He has helped obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his clients.
Matt has focused his practice on matters that he personally cares about, and he and his colleagues have strived to make their communities safer, and prevent future injuries, deaths and tragedies. As an example, Matt is a lifelong recreational bicyclist and it breaks his heart every time he hears about a bike rider getting hurt or killed. He has helped numerous injured cyclists achieve civil justice. He has also spearheaded the firm’s efforts to distribute tens of thousands of safety lights to bike riders every year for the past eight years.
Similarly, in 2020, Matt and partners Michael Kelly and Richard Schoenberger helped prosecute a groundbreaking case on behalf of their alma mater UC Hastings and residents and businesses in the San Francisco’s Tenderloin district that resulted in a swift settlement whereby the city agreed to clear tents and encampments from the sidewalks and streets of that embattled neighborhood {read article here}. The firm’s work on that case was done pro bono.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},"Contact":null,"Pages":[{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/matthew-matt-davis-61495?t=2021091514391988","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/matthew-d-matt-davis/61495","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Matthew D. Davis","LawyerGivenName":"Matthew D.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Davis","LawyerInitials":"MD","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2007,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":61495,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/matthew-matt-davis-61495?t=2021091514391988","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/matthew-d-matt-davis/61495","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Matthew D. Davis","LawyerGivenName":"Matthew D.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Davis","LawyerInitials":"MD","Biography":"Matt Davis is a graduate of UC Hastings Law San Francisco, obtaining his law degree in 1989. He worked for a San Francisco litigation boutique until 1992, when he was recruited by the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. From 1992 through 2001, he represented the municipality and its employees in jury trials and appeals in both state and federal courts. While working for the City, he had an active role in San Francisco’s litigation against the Bank of America that culminated in a $187 million settlement, and obtained a record-breaking judgment against a title insurance and escrow company for more than $50 million.
Matt has focused his practice on matters that he personally cares about, and he and his colleagues have strived to make their communities safer, and prevent future injuries, deaths and tragedies.
Matt joined the Walkup Firm in 2001, and has since handled many legally significant and high value cases in state and federal courts. He has helped obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his clients.
Matt has focused his practice on matters that he personally cares about, and he and his colleagues have strived to make their communities safer, and prevent future injuries, deaths and tragedies. As an example, Matt is a lifelong recreational bicyclist and it breaks his heart every time he hears about a bike rider getting hurt or killed. He has helped numerous injured cyclists achieve civil justice. He has also spearheaded the firm’s efforts to distribute tens of thousands of safety lights to bike riders every year for the past eight years.
Similarly, in 2020, Matt and partners Michael Kelly and Richard Schoenberger helped prosecute a groundbreaking case on behalf of their alma mater UC Hastings and residents and businesses in the San Francisco’s Tenderloin district that resulted in a swift settlement whereby the city agreed to clear tents and encampments from the sidewalks and streets of that embattled neighborhood {read article here}. The firm’s work on that case was done pro bono.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},null],"ViewName":"Paged","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Paged.cshtml","CssClass":"card d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-transparent swiper-slide","AriaLabel":"Paged"},{"BasicInfo":{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/richard-h-schoenberger-43588?t=2021091514434442","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/richard-h-rich-schoenberger/43588","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Richard H. Schoenberger","LawyerGivenName":"Richard H.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Schoenberger","LawyerInitials":"RS","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2005,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":43588,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},"Biography":{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/richard-h-schoenberger-43588?t=2021091514434442","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/richard-h-rich-schoenberger/43588","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Richard H. Schoenberger","LawyerGivenName":"Richard H.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Schoenberger","LawyerInitials":"RS","Biography":"Richard H. Schoenberger has enjoyed remarkable success in his 33 year legal career. His outstanding skills and presence in the courtroom have made him one of the most highly respected trial lawyers in California.
In an article printed in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, an opponent was quoted as follows: “Schoenberger is everything that a good plaintiff’s lawyer should be: ethical, professional and smart, and he works hard.”
At various times he has held or shared the record for the largest verdict in particular case types in San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo and San Mateo Counties. Eleven of his many jury verdicts have been for at least a million dollars and most have been for multiple millions, including eight figures. In the past five years alone, Rich has achieved results, either through verdict or settlement, that total more than $325,000,000, including more than 35 million and multi-million dollar recoveries. He has tried to verdict or settled well over 100 cases for a million dollars or more.
Rich was selected as the 2016 and 2019 Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs in the San Francisco area. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year”. Rich has been recognized as one of the “Top 100” lawyers in Northern California for the past ten years, is “AV” peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, has been included in the national publication The Best Lawyers in America for the past twelve years and has been a Super Lawyer in Northern California for every year the designation has existed. For the past two years, he has been selected as one of the top 500 lawyers in America by Lawdragon. In 2021, Rich was named to The American Lawyer’s list of West Trailblazers for his impactful resolutions that resulted in policy and design changes which improved public safety.
Owing to his many achievements in the courtroom, Rich is an invited member of the most prestigious trial lawyer organizations in the country: The International Academy of Trial Lawyers; The American College of Trial Lawyers, where he serves as the Northern California State Committee’s Chair; the International Society of Barristers, where he serves on the Foundation Board; and the American Board of Trial Advocates, where he served as President for the San Francisco Chapter during its 50th Anniversary year.
As a highly sought after trial advocacy teacher on a national and international level since the early 1990s, a partial list of where Rich has been invited to teach includes the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law; the Judicial Council of California’s Judicial Studies Program; dozens of programs for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy; Emory Law School’s renowned Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program in Atlanta, Georgia; the Republic of Georgia where he taught advocacy to 24 selected attorneys whose government had only recently allowed the right to a jury trial; Northern Ireland solicitors in Belfast; and trial lawyers in Sarajevo.
After graduating from Santa Clara University in 1982, Rich attended the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He began practice in 1985 as a Deputy District Attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted serious felonies. He joined the Walkup office in August of 1987, became a partner in 1995 and a named partner in 2005.
Since 2013, Rich has taught Mock Trial and other subjects at Bridge the Gap, a wonderful Marin City school designed to prepare at-risk youths for high school and college. For years before that, Rich served as CYO Athletic Director at St. Patrick’s in Larkspur and as Minor League Rep for the Twin Cities’ Little League Board of Directors. Rich also used to be found on some field or court, having coached more than 30 of his three kids’ teams. All three went on to play four years of Division I volleyball or baseball where they were coached by people who, unlike their dad, knew what they were talking about.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},"Contact":null,"Pages":[{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/richard-h-schoenberger-43588?t=2021091514434442","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/richard-h-rich-schoenberger/43588","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Richard H. Schoenberger","LawyerGivenName":"Richard H.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Schoenberger","LawyerInitials":"RS","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2005,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":43588,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/richard-h-schoenberger-43588?t=2021091514434442","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/richard-h-rich-schoenberger/43588","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Richard H. Schoenberger","LawyerGivenName":"Richard H.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Schoenberger","LawyerInitials":"RS","Biography":"Richard H. Schoenberger has enjoyed remarkable success in his 33 year legal career. His outstanding skills and presence in the courtroom have made him one of the most highly respected trial lawyers in California.
In an article printed in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, an opponent was quoted as follows: “Schoenberger is everything that a good plaintiff’s lawyer should be: ethical, professional and smart, and he works hard.”
At various times he has held or shared the record for the largest verdict in particular case types in San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo and San Mateo Counties. Eleven of his many jury verdicts have been for at least a million dollars and most have been for multiple millions, including eight figures. In the past five years alone, Rich has achieved results, either through verdict or settlement, that total more than $325,000,000, including more than 35 million and multi-million dollar recoveries. He has tried to verdict or settled well over 100 cases for a million dollars or more.
Rich was selected as the 2016 and 2019 Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs in the San Francisco area. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year”. Rich has been recognized as one of the “Top 100” lawyers in Northern California for the past ten years, is “AV” peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, has been included in the national publication The Best Lawyers in America for the past twelve years and has been a Super Lawyer in Northern California for every year the designation has existed. For the past two years, he has been selected as one of the top 500 lawyers in America by Lawdragon. In 2021, Rich was named to The American Lawyer’s list of West Trailblazers for his impactful resolutions that resulted in policy and design changes which improved public safety.
Owing to his many achievements in the courtroom, Rich is an invited member of the most prestigious trial lawyer organizations in the country: The International Academy of Trial Lawyers; The American College of Trial Lawyers, where he serves as the Northern California State Committee’s Chair; the International Society of Barristers, where he serves on the Foundation Board; and the American Board of Trial Advocates, where he served as President for the San Francisco Chapter during its 50th Anniversary year.
As a highly sought after trial advocacy teacher on a national and international level since the early 1990s, a partial list of where Rich has been invited to teach includes the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law; the Judicial Council of California’s Judicial Studies Program; dozens of programs for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy; Emory Law School’s renowned Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program in Atlanta, Georgia; the Republic of Georgia where he taught advocacy to 24 selected attorneys whose government had only recently allowed the right to a jury trial; Northern Ireland solicitors in Belfast; and trial lawyers in Sarajevo.
After graduating from Santa Clara University in 1982, Rich attended the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He began practice in 1985 as a Deputy District Attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted serious felonies. He joined the Walkup office in August of 1987, became a partner in 1995 and a named partner in 2005.
Since 2013, Rich has taught Mock Trial and other subjects at Bridge the Gap, a wonderful Marin City school designed to prepare at-risk youths for high school and college. For years before that, Rich served as CYO Athletic Director at St. Patrick’s in Larkspur and as Minor League Rep for the Twin Cities’ Little League Board of Directors. Rich also used to be found on some field or court, having coached more than 30 of his three kids’ teams. All three went on to play four years of Division I volleyball or baseball where they were coached by people who, unlike their dad, knew what they were talking about.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},null],"ViewName":"Paged","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Paged.cshtml","CssClass":"card d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-transparent swiper-slide","AriaLabel":"Paged"},{"BasicInfo":{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/sara-m-peters-258062?t=2021091514421353","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/sara-m-peters/258062","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Sara M. Peters","LawyerGivenName":"Sara M.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Peters","LawyerInitials":"SP","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2020,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":258062,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},"Biography":{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/sara-m-peters-258062?t=2021091514421353","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/sara-m-peters/258062","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Sara M. Peters","LawyerGivenName":"Sara M.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Peters","LawyerInitials":"SP","Biography":"Sara, a shareholder at Walkup, prosecutes and serves as lead trial lawyer for severely injured individuals in cases involving defective products, transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft, aviation crashes, dangerous conditions of property, medical negligence, vehicular negligence, sexual assault, nursing home abuse, and other wrongdoing.
When she isn’t representing clients, Sara is a lecturer at Stanford Law School, co-directing the Trial Advocacy course.
She serves on the SFTLA Board of Directors and is a contributing editor of the Rutter Group “Claims and Defenses” Guide, which is a leading practice guide for lawyers in California. She also coaches mock trial at Stanford and serves as Co-Director of ABC (Attorneys Bettering the Community) a local nonprofit composed of attorneys who want to volunteer in a hands-on way.
She teaches CLE (continuing legal education courses) on litigation-related topics. She is an active member of CAOC (Consumer Attorneys of California), AAJ (American Association for Justice), and the Bar Association of San Francisco. Sara has been peer-nominated as a Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Star— a distinction given to fewer than 2.5 percent of the state’s lawyers.
Sara received her undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Middle Eastern Studies at UCLA, and attended Stanford Law School, obtaining her J.D. in 2008. She joined Walkup the same year.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},"Contact":null,"Pages":[{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/sara-m-peters-258062?t=2021091514421353","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/sara-m-peters/258062","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Sara M. Peters","LawyerGivenName":"Sara M.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Peters","LawyerInitials":"SP","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2020,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":258062,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs","Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs","Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/sara-m-peters-258062?t=2021091514421353","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/sara-m-peters/258062","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Sara M. Peters","LawyerGivenName":"Sara M.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Peters","LawyerInitials":"SP","Biography":"Sara, a shareholder at Walkup, prosecutes and serves as lead trial lawyer for severely injured individuals in cases involving defective products, transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft, aviation crashes, dangerous conditions of property, medical negligence, vehicular negligence, sexual assault, nursing home abuse, and other wrongdoing.
When she isn’t representing clients, Sara is a lecturer at Stanford Law School, co-directing the Trial Advocacy course.
She serves on the SFTLA Board of Directors and is a contributing editor of the Rutter Group “Claims and Defenses” Guide, which is a leading practice guide for lawyers in California. She also coaches mock trial at Stanford and serves as Co-Director of ABC (Attorneys Bettering the Community) a local nonprofit composed of attorneys who want to volunteer in a hands-on way.
She teaches CLE (continuing legal education courses) on litigation-related topics. She is an active member of CAOC (Consumer Attorneys of California), AAJ (American Association for Justice), and the Bar Association of San Francisco. Sara has been peer-nominated as a Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Star— a distinction given to fewer than 2.5 percent of the state’s lawyers.
Sara received her undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Middle Eastern Studies at UCLA, and attended Stanford Law School, obtaining her J.D. in 2008. She joined Walkup the same year.
","CountryCode":"US","CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-biography highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-white background-dark-blue-gray background-dark-blue-gray-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBio","ViewName":"LawyerBio","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBio.cshtml"},null],"ViewName":"Paged","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Paged.cshtml","CssClass":"card d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-transparent swiper-slide","AriaLabel":"Paged"},{"BasicInfo":{"IsLoty":false,"LotyBadgeUrl":null,"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/spencer-pahlke-159116?t=2021091514414631","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/spencer-j-pahlke/159116","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerId":0,"LawyerFullName":"Spencer J. Pahlke","LawyerGivenName":"Spencer J.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Pahlke","LawyerInitials":"SP","HasFirmProfile":false,"FirmProfileUrl":null,"FirmName":"Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger","RecognizedSinceYear":2014,"LocationName":"San Francisco, California","CountryCode":"US","TrafficId":159116,"TrafficCategory":"lawyer","PracticeAreas":["Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs"],"SpecificFocuses":[],"CssClass":"card card-lawyer card-lawyer-basic-info card-lawyer-bl highlight d-flex flex-column border-0 rounded text-charcoal background-white-lg background-white-lg-highlighted-hover","AriaLabel":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewName":"LawyerBasicInfo","ViewPath":"~/Views/Shared/Components/Cards/Lawyers/LawyerBasicInfo.cshtml"},"Biography":{"PublicationListId":1,"HasLawyerProfileImage":true,"LawyerProfileImageUrl":"https://cdn.blrankings.com/best-lawyers/lawyer-images/spencer-pahlke-159116?t=2021091514414631","IsLocked":false,"HasLawyerProfile":true,"LawyerProfileUrl":"https://www.bestlawyers.com/lawyers/spencer-j-pahlke/159116","LinkTarget":null,"LinkRel":null,"LawyerFullName":"Spencer J. Pahlke","LawyerGivenName":"Spencer J.","LawyerMiddleName":null,"LawyerFamilyName":"Pahlke","LawyerInitials":"SP","Biography":"Spencer’s practice focuses on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases involving defective products, vehicular collisions, dangerous conditions of public and private property, and medical malpractice.
Outside of his practice at Walkup, he also teaches at the University of California-Berkeley Law School as a lecturer in trial advocacy.
In addition to his teaching, he directs Berkeley Law’s external trial competition program and coaches multiple trial advocacy teams. Under Spencer’s guidance, the program has risen to national prominence, having won many national honors and distinctions, including several national championships. Spencer serves as the Regional Representative for Northern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii in the National Association of Legal Advocacy Educators.
Spencer is a co-author of Introduction to Trial Advocacy: The Elements of Trial, a pioneering all-online video lecture series that teaches aspiring trial attorneys at all levels the fundamentals of trying a case. Introduction to Trial Advocacy has been published through Trial Guides, a renowned legal publishing house, and is designed for both self-study trial advocacy learning and use in a trial advocacy course.
Spencer is also a recipient of the Edward D. Ohlbaum Professionalism Award, an award designed to recognize a trial advocacy teacher and program director who exemplifies the late Professor Ohlbaum’s commitment. professionalism, integrity, and honed proficiency. The award honors an individual whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity.
Spencer has taught and lectured on trial advocacy and tort law at institutions including the University of Michigan School of Law, Universidad de Monterrey (Mexico), San Francisco State University, and UC Berkeley. Spencer has also been an invited lecturer at Baylor University’s prestigious School of the Trial, hosted annually in St. Andrews, Scotland. Spencer’s teaching includes instruction at the Public Defender’s Offices of San Francisco and Sacramento Counties.
Spencer provides ongoing legal education, including developing and co-chairing programs produced in conjunction with Berkeley Law, with a special focus on providing training to young attorneys. He has also co-chaired a presentation on governmental liability and design immunity, spoken to leading trial associations regarding governmental liability, made presentations on liability for commercial carriers, and lectured on the topic of liability insurance in the context of products liability.
Spencer was selected as a Super Lawyer from 2013-2020, and before that a Rising Star in 2011 and 2012. In 2014-2020, he was listed by Best Lawyers. Also. in 2020 Spencer was recognized by The Daily Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” attorneys in California.
After graduating with Highest Distinction from the University of Nebraska with a double major in Economics and Psychology, Spencer attended law school at Berkeley Law, receiving his J.D. in 2007. At Berkeley, Spencer was a member of the California Law Review as well as an associate editor for Ecology Law Quarterly. Academically, he won Prosser Awards in Legal Ethics and in Environmental Law.
Spencer’s main interest in law school was trial advocacy, both in Berkeley Law’s competitive trial advocacy program and its clinical programs. Clinically, he tried cases before Oakland’s Citizens’ Police Review Board. There, his responsibilities included representing people claiming violations of their constitutional rights at the hands of the Oakland Police Department. He successfully competed on several trial teams. He won the Bay Area trial competition held by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. Additionally, in the National Trial Competition, his three-person team was a regional finalist, and he won two top advocate awards.
Spencer joined the Walkup firm in 2007, and practices all types of personal injury litigation in all courts within the State of California.
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Outside of his practice at Walkup, he also teaches at the University of California-Berkeley Law School as a lecturer in trial advocacy.
In addition to his teaching, he directs Berkeley Law’s external trial competition program and coaches multiple trial advocacy teams. Under Spencer’s guidance, the program has risen to national prominence, having won many national honors and distinctions, including several national championships. Spencer serves as the Regional Representative for Northern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii in the National Association of Legal Advocacy Educators.
Spencer is a co-author of Introduction to Trial Advocacy: The Elements of Trial, a pioneering all-online video lecture series that teaches aspiring trial attorneys at all levels the fundamentals of trying a case. Introduction to Trial Advocacy has been published through Trial Guides, a renowned legal publishing house, and is designed for both self-study trial advocacy learning and use in a trial advocacy course.
Spencer is also a recipient of the Edward D. Ohlbaum Professionalism Award, an award designed to recognize a trial advocacy teacher and program director who exemplifies the late Professor Ohlbaum’s commitment. professionalism, integrity, and honed proficiency. The award honors an individual whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity.
Spencer has taught and lectured on trial advocacy and tort law at institutions including the University of Michigan School of Law, Universidad de Monterrey (Mexico), San Francisco State University, and UC Berkeley. Spencer has also been an invited lecturer at Baylor University’s prestigious School of the Trial, hosted annually in St. Andrews, Scotland. Spencer’s teaching includes instruction at the Public Defender’s Offices of San Francisco and Sacramento Counties.
Spencer provides ongoing legal education, including developing and co-chairing programs produced in conjunction with Berkeley Law, with a special focus on providing training to young attorneys. He has also co-chaired a presentation on governmental liability and design immunity, spoken to leading trial associations regarding governmental liability, made presentations on liability for commercial carriers, and lectured on the topic of liability insurance in the context of products liability.
Spencer was selected as a Super Lawyer from 2013-2020, and before that a Rising Star in 2011 and 2012. In 2014-2020, he was listed by Best Lawyers. Also. in 2020 Spencer was recognized by The Daily Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” attorneys in California.
After graduating with Highest Distinction from the University of Nebraska with a double major in Economics and Psychology, Spencer attended law school at Berkeley Law, receiving his J.D. in 2007. At Berkeley, Spencer was a member of the California Law Review as well as an associate editor for Ecology Law Quarterly. Academically, he won Prosser Awards in Legal Ethics and in Environmental Law.
Spencer’s main interest in law school was trial advocacy, both in Berkeley Law’s competitive trial advocacy program and its clinical programs. Clinically, he tried cases before Oakland’s Citizens’ Police Review Board. There, his responsibilities included representing people claiming violations of their constitutional rights at the hands of the Oakland Police Department. He successfully competed on several trial teams. He won the Bay Area trial competition held by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. Additionally, in the National Trial Competition, his three-person team was a regional finalist, and he won two top advocate awards.
Spencer joined the Walkup firm in 2007, and practices all types of personal injury litigation in all courts within the State of California.
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Dafa is a skilled trial and appellate attorney for consumers in high-stakes class action litigation across a variety of industries. A member of the firm’s Cybersecurity and Data Privacy and Consumer Protection practice groups, Jallé currently represents Internet users against worldwide data broker Oracle for using cross device tracking technology to collect and sell the behavioral history and personal information of hundreds of millions of people, Android and iPhone users asserting Google persistently tracked their movements and activities, and auto insurance policyholders in a price discrimination lawsuit against Allstate.
Jallé joined Lieff Cabraser after clerking on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for the Honorable Mary M. Schroeder, and the Northern District of California for the Honorable Jacqueline S. Corley. Prior to Lieff Cabraser, Jallé was an associate at Siegel, Yee, Brunner, & Mehta, where she litigated Title VII, Title IX, and Whistleblower retaliation claims on behalf of wrongfully terminated employees. She earned an A.B. from Brown University, where she was co-president of the Black student association and an intern with UNESCO’s Communication and Information office in Quito, Ecuador, and a J.D. from Berkeley Law School, where she was a co-founder of the Women of Color Collective (WOCC) and social justice chair of the Law Students of African Descent (LSAD).
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Jallé joined Lieff Cabraser after clerking on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for the Honorable Mary M. Schroeder, and the Northern District of California for the Honorable Jacqueline S. Corley. Prior to Lieff Cabraser, Jallé was an associate at Siegel, Yee, Brunner, & Mehta, where she litigated Title VII, Title IX, and Whistleblower retaliation claims on behalf of wrongfully terminated employees. She earned an A.B. from Brown University, where she was co-president of the Black student association and an intern with UNESCO’s Communication and Information office in Quito, Ecuador, and a J.D. from Berkeley Law School, where she was a co-founder of the Women of Color Collective (WOCC) and social justice chair of the Law Students of African Descent (LSAD).
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Of particular note, Kevin was one of the lead attorneys prosecuting San Francisco’s case in the nationwide opioid litigation. Among other roles, Kevin directed the team’s discovery efforts against Walgreens and played a key role in the multi-month bellwether trial. In a milestone opinion, Judge Charles R. Breyer concluded that “the aggregate evidence that Plaintiff presented at trial was not only adequate to establish Walgreens’ culpability—it was devastating.” This landmark victory led to a $230 million recovery for San Francisco and was a significant factor in driving Walgreens’ multi-billion dollar, nationwide settlement.
Kevin has also had a number of success representing the owners of over-polluting and underperforming vehicles, beginning with the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” multidistrict litigation. In that case, plaintiffs alleged that Volkswagen lied to the government and misled its customers about the emissions of its diesel engine vehicles. Kevin worked closely with lead counsel, Elizabeth Cabraser, and the team’s efforts resulted in settlements worth nearly $15 billion. Kevin’s other vehicle emissions accomplishments include a recent settlement with Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors, valued at $445 million; a $307.5 million resolution in the Fiat-Chrysler “EcoDiesel” MDL; and litigation against Audi and Porsche for overstating fuel economy in hundreds of thousands of gasoline-powered vehicles. In all of these cases, Kevin and his colleagues secured meaningful results that consumers overwhelmingly supported. As one illustration, in approving an $80 million settlement with Porsche, the court noted that class members would recover “close to all of the damages they might expect to receive at trial” and applauded counsel for the “unusually successful” class participation rates.
For these and other achievements, Kevin has been recognized as a “Top 40 Under 40 Lawyer” (Daily Journal), one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America (Lawdragon), a “Rising Star for Class Action law (Law360), a “Rising Star of the Plaintiff’s Bar” (National Law Journal), a “Rising Star for Northern California” (Super Lawyers), and “One to Watch” (Best Lawyers). He and his colleagues have also received awards for “Trial Lawyer of the Year” (Public Justice), “Trial Lawyer Excellence” (Law Bulletin), “California Lawyer of the Year” (California Daily Journal), and “Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist” (Consumer Attorneys of California).
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Of particular note, Kevin was one of the lead attorneys prosecuting San Francisco’s case in the nationwide opioid litigation. Among other roles, Kevin directed the team’s discovery efforts against Walgreens and played a key role in the multi-month bellwether trial. In a milestone opinion, Judge Charles R. Breyer concluded that “the aggregate evidence that Plaintiff presented at trial was not only adequate to establish Walgreens’ culpability—it was devastating.” This landmark victory led to a $230 million recovery for San Francisco and was a significant factor in driving Walgreens’ multi-billion dollar, nationwide settlement.
Kevin has also had a number of success representing the owners of over-polluting and underperforming vehicles, beginning with the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” multidistrict litigation. In that case, plaintiffs alleged that Volkswagen lied to the government and misled its customers about the emissions of its diesel engine vehicles. Kevin worked closely with lead counsel, Elizabeth Cabraser, and the team’s efforts resulted in settlements worth nearly $15 billion. Kevin’s other vehicle emissions accomplishments include a recent settlement with Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors, valued at $445 million; a $307.5 million resolution in the Fiat-Chrysler “EcoDiesel” MDL; and litigation against Audi and Porsche for overstating fuel economy in hundreds of thousands of gasoline-powered vehicles. In all of these cases, Kevin and his colleagues secured meaningful results that consumers overwhelmingly supported. As one illustration, in approving an $80 million settlement with Porsche, the court noted that class members would recover “close to all of the damages they might expect to receive at trial” and applauded counsel for the “unusually successful” class participation rates.
For these and other achievements, Kevin has been recognized as a “Top 40 Under 40 Lawyer” (Daily Journal), one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America (Lawdragon), a “Rising Star for Class Action law (Law360), a “Rising Star of the Plaintiff’s Bar” (National Law Journal), a “Rising Star for Northern California” (Super Lawyers), and “One to Watch” (Best Lawyers). He and his colleagues have also received awards for “Trial Lawyer of the Year” (Public Justice), “Trial Lawyer Excellence” (Law Bulletin), “California Lawyer of the Year” (California Daily Journal), and “Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist” (Consumer Attorneys of California).
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Melissa Gardner is a partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office with a practice focused on digital privacy and consumer protection complex litigation.
A pioneering advocate for personal rights and dignity in every domain, Melissa has been a key player in precedent-setting class actions that have put an end to numerous invasive and misleading corporate business practices, and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for consumers. Her past and current work includes litigation challenging website tracking technology, mobile device tracking and data sharing software, deceptive design in financial technology apps and software, misuse of identities in online advertising, invasions of email, online messaging, and other electronic communications privacy, platforms that facilitate identity theft and fraud, deficient cybersecurity practices, and other violations of consumer rights, including a recent class action settlement, on the eve of trial, of medical battery claims on behalf of purchasers of allegedly experimental and unreliable medical testing.
Melissa was named a Rising Star for Northern California for seven consecutive years by Super Lawyers, selected for Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch 2021 inaugural edition and each year since, named to the first edition of Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation, and named one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America in 2023.
Melissa received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was a semi-finalist in the Harvard Ames Moot Court Competition, as well as a Student Attorney with the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project and South Brooklyn Legal Services. Prior to attending law school, Melissa worked for the Skagit County Community Action agency in Washington State and served for three years with the United States Peace Corps in Tianshui, China.
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Melissa Gardner is a partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office with a practice focused on digital privacy and consumer protection complex litigation.
A pioneering advocate for personal rights and dignity in every domain, Melissa has been a key player in precedent-setting class actions that have put an end to numerous invasive and misleading corporate business practices, and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for consumers. Her past and current work includes litigation challenging website tracking technology, mobile device tracking and data sharing software, deceptive design in financial technology apps and software, misuse of identities in online advertising, invasions of email, online messaging, and other electronic communications privacy, platforms that facilitate identity theft and fraud, deficient cybersecurity practices, and other violations of consumer rights, including a recent class action settlement, on the eve of trial, of medical battery claims on behalf of purchasers of allegedly experimental and unreliable medical testing.
Melissa was named a Rising Star for Northern California for seven consecutive years by Super Lawyers, selected for Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch 2021 inaugural edition and each year since, named to the first edition of Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation, and named one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America in 2023.
Melissa received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was a semi-finalist in the Harvard Ames Moot Court Competition, as well as a Student Attorney with the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project and South Brooklyn Legal Services. Prior to attending law school, Melissa worked for the Skagit County Community Action agency in Washington State and served for three years with the United States Peace Corps in Tianshui, China.
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A partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office, Tiseme Zegeye represents consumers, employees, and the injured in individual, complex, and class actions. Tiseme specializes in women’s health, civil rights, and environmental justice cases, including representing women and families in fertility and gynecologic cancer matters and representing the injured in water contamination and wildfire cases. Most recently, Tiseme has taken a lead role within Lieff Cabraser’s fertility practice, assisting hopeful parents seeking justice from fertility companies and IVF supply manufacturers including Pacific Fertility Center, Prelude, Chart, CooperSurgical, and Ovation for failures that occurred during their fertility journeys.
Prior to joining Lieff Cabraser, Tiseme was a Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York, where she litigated to protect access to abortion. Previously she was a Legal Fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union Women’s Rights Project in New York, where she worked to fight gender discrimination in employment, education, and housing.
Tiseme earned her law degree from the New York University School of Law, where she won the BLAPA Kim Barry ‘98 Memorial Graduation Prize for academic excellence and commitment to international and human rights work, as well as a Dean’s Scholarship. During law school, she worked with the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, interned with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and was active in the Black Allied Law Students Association and the Women of Color Collective.
Prior to attending law school, Tiseme earned a bachelor’s degree cum laude in political science and sociology from the College of William and Mary, where she won the Benjamin Ewell Award for outstanding leadership and service to the College.
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Prior to joining Lieff Cabraser, Tiseme was a Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York, where she litigated to protect access to abortion. Previously she was a Legal Fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union Women’s Rights Project in New York, where she worked to fight gender discrimination in employment, education, and housing.
Tiseme earned her law degree from the New York University School of Law, where she won the BLAPA Kim Barry ‘98 Memorial Graduation Prize for academic excellence and commitment to international and human rights work, as well as a Dean’s Scholarship. During law school, she worked with the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, interned with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and was active in the Black Allied Law Students Association and the Women of Color Collective.
Prior to attending law school, Tiseme earned a bachelor’s degree cum laude in political science and sociology from the College of William and Mary, where she won the Benjamin Ewell Award for outstanding leadership and service to the College.
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He is a sought-after speaker and teacher having presented more than two hundred invited lectures, tutorials, seminars and advocacy demonstrations across the United States, Asia, South America, the United Kingdom and Eastern Europe.
In 2021 Mike was the number one vote-getter for the second year in a row on the 2021 list of Northern California “Super Lawyers”. A member of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, Kelly was also included on the “Top 10” and “Top 100” list of lawyers in Northern California for the 18th time, as well as being selected by Best Lawyers to its prestigious roster for the 20th consecutive year. Recognized for his leadership in some of the most significant consumer protection cases in our state, Kelly made the list of the Los Angeles Daily Journal’s 2021 Top Plaintiff Lawyers and was inducted into Lawdragon’s Hall of Fame for his many years of pro-consumer successes, most recently demonstrated by his role in the litigation against the giant utility PG&E for the damage caused by the 2017-2018 Northern California wildfires and the devastating Butte County Camp Fire.
When resolution by mediation or settlement fails, Kelly is ready to take his clients’ cases before juries. Recent trials have produced a $4 million jury verdict against the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District for the death of a pedestrian struck by one of its buses, a $5.6 million jury verdict against a Super Shuttle driver for the death of a retired restauranteur, a $12.75 million recovery against a domestic automaker(auto rollover), a $10.5 million settlement for the wrongful death of a single mother, and a major 8-figure confidential settlement against Kaiser Health Plan for a catastrophically injured infant. His $8.35 million verdict on behalf of a construction worker who lost an arm showed his skill in work-site injury cases. His $23.2 million jury verdict in a birth injury medical malpractice case in Minnesota ranks among that state’s largest verdicts for obstetrical injury.
Beyond stellar results for his clients, Kelly is proud of his many contributions to the legal community. He is a speaker for 360 Advocacy for whom he chairs its annual Trucking Litigation program. He teaches regularly for NITA, The Rutter Group, ABOTA, the Consumer Attorneys of California, AAJ, SFTLA, and the Bar Association of San Francisco. He served for 10 years as the Director of Teacher Training programs for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and remains a member of its Board of Governors. He has long been active in protecting the rights of the underrepresented, working for pedestrian and bicyclist safety, lobbying for compensation fairness for medical malpractice victims, and protecting the rights of the LGBT community.
He has been elected as the “Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the California Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. His teaching has earned him the Consumer Attorneys of California Robert E. Cartwright Award as well as the Robert Oliphant Award presented by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.
He holds an “AV” rating (highest rating) from Martindale-Hubbell, and holds membership in the country’s most selective legal honorary societies including the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers (for whom he served as President in 2012-2013), the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, The Summit Council, and The Irish Legal 100. He graduated summa cum laude from St. Mary’s College of California in 1973. He obtained his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1976. He was an Assistant Professor of Law at Hastings from 1981 to 2001.
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Mike Kelly is one of the nation’s top personal injury attorneys. For four decades he has protected consumers from corporate greed, medical mistakes, dangerous household products, unsafe medical devices, and motor vehicle accidents of every kind. He has tried, settled, and arbitrated more than 200 cases where the recovery by his client exceeded $1 million. In 2020 he helped negotiate the multibillion-dollar resolution of the 2017 California wildfire lawsuits brought against utility giant PG&E. Before that, his $8.341 million verdict in the first DePuy ASR/Johnson & Johnson metal-on-metal artificial hip litigation helped produce a $2.5 billion national settlement for all victims.
He is a sought-after speaker and teacher having presented more than two hundred invited lectures, tutorials, seminars and advocacy demonstrations across the United States, Asia, South America, the United Kingdom and Eastern Europe.
In 2021 Mike was the number one vote-getter for the second year in a row on the 2021 list of Northern California “Super Lawyers”. A member of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, Kelly was also included on the “Top 10” and “Top 100” list of lawyers in Northern California for the 18th time, as well as being selected by Best Lawyers to its prestigious roster for the 20th consecutive year. Recognized for his leadership in some of the most significant consumer protection cases in our state, Kelly made the list of the Los Angeles Daily Journal’s 2021 Top Plaintiff Lawyers and was inducted into Lawdragon’s Hall of Fame for his many years of pro-consumer successes, most recently demonstrated by his role in the litigation against the giant utility PG&E for the damage caused by the 2017-2018 Northern California wildfires and the devastating Butte County Camp Fire.
When resolution by mediation or settlement fails, Kelly is ready to take his clients’ cases before juries. Recent trials have produced a $4 million jury verdict against the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District for the death of a pedestrian struck by one of its buses, a $5.6 million jury verdict against a Super Shuttle driver for the death of a retired restauranteur, a $12.75 million recovery against a domestic automaker(auto rollover), a $10.5 million settlement for the wrongful death of a single mother, and a major 8-figure confidential settlement against Kaiser Health Plan for a catastrophically injured infant. His $8.35 million verdict on behalf of a construction worker who lost an arm showed his skill in work-site injury cases. His $23.2 million jury verdict in a birth injury medical malpractice case in Minnesota ranks among that state’s largest verdicts for obstetrical injury.
Beyond stellar results for his clients, Kelly is proud of his many contributions to the legal community. He is a speaker for 360 Advocacy for whom he chairs its annual Trucking Litigation program. He teaches regularly for NITA, The Rutter Group, ABOTA, the Consumer Attorneys of California, AAJ, SFTLA, and the Bar Association of San Francisco. He served for 10 years as the Director of Teacher Training programs for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and remains a member of its Board of Governors. He has long been active in protecting the rights of the underrepresented, working for pedestrian and bicyclist safety, lobbying for compensation fairness for medical malpractice victims, and protecting the rights of the LGBT community.
He has been elected as the “Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the California Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. His teaching has earned him the Consumer Attorneys of California Robert E. Cartwright Award as well as the Robert Oliphant Award presented by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.
He holds an “AV” rating (highest rating) from Martindale-Hubbell, and holds membership in the country’s most selective legal honorary societies including the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers (for whom he served as President in 2012-2013), the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, The Summit Council, and The Irish Legal 100. He graduated summa cum laude from St. Mary’s College of California in 1973. He obtained his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1976. He was an Assistant Professor of Law at Hastings from 1981 to 2001.
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