Heather Speers

Reza Torkzadeh is the Founder of The Torkzadeh Law Firm, a Plaintiff's only personal injury law firm with offices throughout California and Illinois. Reza has been recognized by his peers since 2010 as being a SuperLawyers Rising Star. Every year since 2014, Reza has been selected by his peers to the SuperLawyers list in California - an honor saved for no more than 5% of the lawyers in the country. In the past two years alone, Reza has obtained verdicts, judgments and settlements in excess of...

Catherine M. McBain is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Catherine M., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Catherine M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Robert Wright is a founding partner of the firm and has a long history of successfully representing corporate, governmental, and individual clients in a wide range of cases involving unfair competition, product liability, antitrust, securities, corporate, banking, fidelity bond, real estate, trust and estate, and employment, constitutional, and admiralty law. He has considerable experience with complex procedural matters, including mass tort, coordinated, and class actions. In addition to rep...

Laura Nichols is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s San Diego office, and a member of the Tax, Benefits and Estate Planning practice group. Ms. Nichols is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and is also certified as an Accredited Estate Planner® by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. Only approximately five percent of California’s attorneys are certified as specialists...

Sarah T. Schaffer, CFLS is a family law attorney and mediator, holding the prestigious Certified Family Law Specialist designation from the State Bar of California. Schaffer Family Law Group, APC is a full-service Mediation, Divorce, and Family Law firm dedicated to delivering practical & effective results to high net-worth clients. Ms. Schaffer builds her practice on a thorough knowledge of the law, excellent research skills, superior presentation to the court, and most of all calm, comp...

Todd Neal is the leader of the firm’s Litigation Team. Todd has substantial trial experience and has served as lead trial counsel in more than thirty jury trials tried to verdict. His diverse trial practice has three primary areas of focus: prosecution and defense of corporate and commercial litigation; representation of plaintiffs in serious injury and wrongful death matters; and defense of government investigations including actions brought by government agencies such as the SEC and i...

Melanie Gold spent more than three decades as a research attorney for California appellate courts. She primarily worked with the justices of the Fourth District Court of Appeal in San Diego, but also with those of the Sixth District Court of Appeal in San Jose as well as the California Supreme Court in San Francisco. During that time, Melanie analyzed thousands of briefs, motions, and petitions, advised justices on hundreds of appeals, and developed a deep understanding of how appellate court...

Patty M. DeGaetano is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law. Patty M., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patty M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Maggie Schroedter is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Bankruptcy. Maggie, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Maggie is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Cynthia R. Chihak is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Cynthia R., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Cynthia R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.