Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger JUSTICE TAKES MORE THAN A FIGHTER. YOU NEED A CHAMPION. Award-Winning Law Firm with 6 Decades of 7 and 8 Figure Results

About Us – Walkup Melodia Kelly & Schoenberger

Established in 1959

For over 50 years, our lawyers have represented individuals throughout California who suffered catastrophic injuries or lost loved ones. News and World Report rated Walkup a “National Top Tier” product liability firm and a “Metropolitan First-Tier” personal injury firm. More than 50% of our attorneys were peer-nominated as Northe

rn California SuperLawyers (fewer than 5% of all lawyers in the state achieve this rating). In 2011, two of our lawyers were listed in the “Top 100” lawyers in the state, one in the “Top 50 Women Lawyers,” and one in the “Top 10.” In recent years, three of our attorneys were named SFTLA “Trial Lawyer of the Year.” Other titles given to our attorneys include “Consumer Attorney of the Year” (awarded by CAOC) and “Best Personal Injury Attorney” (awarded by the San Francisco Recorder). Our lawyers also hold “Best Lawyers in America” listings and Martindale-Hubbell “AV” ratings. Walkup attorneys hold teaching positions at local law schools including Hastings, Berkeley, and USF School of Law. They train other trial lawyers as part of NITA (National Institute for Trial Advocacy), ABOTA, the California Continuing Education of the Bar, and the Rutter Group. They have traveled to Belfast, Mexico, Kosovo, Macedonia, Japan, Britain, Scotland, and Eastern Europe to train lawyers in trial advocacy. They have served as board members, chairpersons, and presidents in leading organizations, including the San Francisco Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, ABOTA, the International Society of Barristers, and the San Francisco Bar Association Judiciary Committee. In their spare time, Walkup attorneys give back to the community. They helped establish ABC (Attorneys Bettering the Community) a non-profit for lawyers who want to engage in hands-on service work. They take on pro bono cases; coach youth basketball, high school and law school mock trial teams; work with volunteer programs from the SF Bar Association; and work with the Rule of Law Initiative in developing countries. Our practice areas include the following:

Product liability
Medical malpractice
Motor vehicle accidents
Construction accidents
Aviation accidents
Premises liability
Dangerous highways
Nursing home abuse
Birth injuries
Burn injuries
Brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to be a gold sponsor of the National Plaintiffs' Law Association - NPLA. ...
08/25/2026

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to be a gold sponsor of the National Plaintiffs' Law Association - NPLA.

The National Plaintiffs’ Law Association (NPLA) is a network of law students and alumni working to encourage and support students in becoming plaintiff-side attorneys.

The NPLA offers an alternative to the institutional pipeline in legal education that funnels talented, young attorneys into large defense-oriented firms, and the NPLA connects law students with opportunities on the plaintiffs-side that allow them to represent the interests of victims of misconduct or negligence, advocate for justice, and hold powerful interests accountable for their actions.

Learn more about NPLA and get involved at: https://www.nationalplaintiffslawassociation.org

This summer, Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger welcomed six law students from leading Bay Area law schools ( UC Law ...
08/24/2026

This summer, Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger welcomed six law students from leading Bay Area law schools ( UC Law San Francisco, Stanford Law School, UC Berkeley School of Law, Santa Clara Law and University of San Francisco School of Law) to its 2026 Summer Associate Program. The program is designed to expose students to the actual practice of law. Summer associates work alongside accomplished trial attorneys on active cases and see firsthand what it means to advocate for a client.

See the video interviews of Walkup 2026 Summer Associate Program: Real-World Experience, Mentorship and Trial Skills at: https://www.walkuplawoffice.com/2026/08/24/walkup-2026-summer-associate-program-real-world-experience-mentorship-and-trial-skills/

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to announce that each of the firm’s 11 shareholders has been recognized i...
08/21/2026

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to announce that each of the firm’s 11 shareholders has been recognized in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, with 19 total firm members honored across Best Lawyers® and Ones to Watch®.

Among those honored this year is Khaldoun A. Baghdadi, who was named 2027 “Lawyer of the Year” in Medical Malpractice Law for San Francisco. Best Lawyers bestows the “Lawyer of the Year” designation on one attorney per practice area in each metropolitan region.

Baghdadi follows other Walkup attorneys who have received the “Lawyer of the Year” honor in the past. Michael A. Kelly is a four-time “Lawyer of the Year” recipient across medical malpractice, personal injury, mass torts, and class actions. Douglas S. Saeltzer has been named “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs, while Richard H. Schoenberger and Doris Cheng earned the distinction in Medical Malpractice Law. Together, these recognitions reflect Walkup’s enduring leadership in plaint iff advocacy and the exceptional regard its attorneys command within the legal community.

The Best Lawyers® in America 2027: Walkup Shareholders:

Michael A. Kelly
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Richard H. Schoenberger
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Matthew D. Davis
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Douglas S. Saeltzer
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Khaldoun A. Baghdadi
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Doris Cheng
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Spencer J. Pahlke
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Sara M. Peters
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Conor M. Kelly
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Andrew P. McDevitt
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Valerie N. Rose
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Read more: https://www.walkuplawoffice.com/2026/08/19/walkup-firm-earns-recognition-by-2027-best-lawyers-including-lawyer-of-the-year-honor-for-khaldoun-a-baghdadi/

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to announce that each of the firm’s 11 shareholders has been recognized i...
08/21/2026

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to announce that each of the firm’s 11 shareholders has been recognized in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, with 19 total firm members honored across Best Lawyers® and Ones to Watch®.

Congratulations to Walkup's Best Lawyers® 2027 Ones to Watch®:

Kelly L. Ganci - Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Ashcon Minoiefar - Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Martin Neira - Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Read more at: https://www.walkuplawoffice.com/2026/08/19/walkup-firm-earns-recognition-by-2027-best-lawyers-including-lawyer-of-the-year-honor-for-khaldoun-a-baghdadi/

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to announce that each of the firm’s 11 shareholders has been recognized i...
08/21/2026

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to announce that each of the firm’s 11 shareholders has been recognized in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, with 19 total firm members honored across Best Lawyers® and Ones to Watch®.

Congratulations to our Walkup Associates recognized in the 2027 Best Lawyers® in America:

Jeffrey A. Clause
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Christian R. Jagusch
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Joseph Nicholson
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Max Schuver
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Clifton N. Smoot
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

08/21/2026
Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to congratulate Khaldoun A. Baghdadi, who has been named the 2027 Best La...
08/20/2026

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger is proud to congratulate Khaldoun A. Baghdadi, who has been named the 2027 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Medical Malpractice Law in San Francisco.

This distinguished recognition is awarded to just one attorney per practice area in each metropolitan region.

Read more about Khaldoun’s recognition and the firm’s 2027 Best Lawyers® honorees: https://www.walkuplawoffice.com/2026/08/19/walkup-firm-earns-recognition-by-2027-best-lawyers-including-lawyer-of-the-year-honor-for-khaldoun-a-baghdadi/

Bike MS: Waves to Wine, a cycling fundraiser that began more than 40 years ago, is returning next month with a goal of r...
08/20/2026

Bike MS: Waves to Wine, a cycling fundraiser that began more than 40 years ago, is returning next month with a goal of raising at least $1.1 million for multiple sclerosis research.

The event, which features five different rides from the coast through wine country, supports research into multiple sclerosis, a progressive neurologic disorder with no cure. Organizers say participants will ride through and around Petaluma and Napa while raising money for the cause.

ABC7 News' Liz Biro spoke with Michael Kelly, a partner at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger, about the firm's support of the event.

"This event is a national fundraiser. The goal here is to raise at least $1.1 million for MS research. It is a progressive neurologic disorder. There is no cure, but that should not stop anybody from donating and helping us," Kelly said.

Watch the full interview and learn more about Bike MS: Waves to Wine at:
https://abc7news.com/post/bike-ms-waves-wine-fundraiser-returns-bay-area/19699110/

Bike MS: Waves to Wine, a cycling fundraiser that began more than 40 years ago, is returning next month with a goal of raising at least $1.1 million for multiple sclerosis research.

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650 California Street
San Francisco, CA
94108

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