Paul Starita is a Partner at Singleton Schreiber with over 30 years of experience as a trial attorney. He exclusively represents plaintiffs in catastrophic personal injury and mass tort matters in State and Federal courts. He leads the Fire Litigation practice group at Singleton Schreiber and litigates a wide range of cases including Personal Injury, Fire, Mass Torts, and more. Before joining the Singleton Schreiber team, Paul served the people of San Diego and Imperial counties as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for over 18 years. Paul represented the United States, its agencies, officers, and employees in a wide variety of civil litigation matters, including cases involving industrial and vehicle accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, medical malpractice, constitutional torts, and employment. In addition, Paul prosecuted civil health care and procurement fraud cases under the False Claims Act. Paul was a federal prosecutor for 10 years before serving as a civil trial attorney. He investigated and prosecuted more than 1,000 felony cases involving corruption, drug trafficking/organized crime, human trafficking, money laundering, and violent crime. He has tried more than 50 jury and bench trials in Federal court. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Paul spent two years at a mid-size law firm in Newport Beach, California, where he litigated land use claims for individual landowners and developers throughout Southern California. Paul proudly served our nation as a U.S. Marine, on active duty and in the Reserve. He attained the rank of Colonel and served in various leadership and legal roles, including Military Trial Judge and Appellate Judge on the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals. For many years, Paul also advised senior government officials on environmental compliance and litigation matters in the Marine Corps’ western region. He also served as the Marine Corps’ lead counsel on regional Clean Air Act matters involving hazardous air pollutants / toxic air contaminants, emissions trading, compliance with national ambient air quality standards, mobile source emissions, stationary source compliance, and fuels. Early in his career, he had a robust trial practice as a military prosecutor involving criminal conduct ranging from DUI to murder. While our nation was at war, Paul was handpicked and returned to active duty to defend Marines accused of war crimes related to combat operations in Iraq. Paul attended Thomas M. Cooley Law School and holds a Master of Laws (LLM) with a concentration in Environmental Law from the University of San Diego School of Law. Paul is currently an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law, where he instructs first-year law students on civil trial practice.

Stephen Demik is Senior Counsel with Singleton Schreiber’s Personal Injury, Mass Torts, and Civil Rights practices. A committed trial attorney with extensive experience in criminal and civil litigation and a passion for social justice, Stephen brings extensive experience in both criminal and civil litigation to bear on life-changing injury, wrongful death, product liability, mass tort, and police misconduct cases. He has built his legal career around defending the voiceless and underrepresented – ensuring that those harmed by negligence and misconduct have their voices heard, and wrongdoers are held accountable. Stephen’s legal journey began in 2002 after earning his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Early in his legal career, he represented defendants on death row at San Quentin, developing a profound understanding of the criminal justice system at its highest levels. That foundation informed his transition into civil litigation and shaped an eclectic career that included representing several Guantánamo detainees, Native American activists, and communities affected by environmental harm. Before joining Singleton Schreiber, Stephen served as Managing Attorney of Litigation at a prominent Texas firm. Prior to that, he ran his own practice, where he first-chaired numerous federal felony jury trials and took on clients from every walk of life. His courtroom experience spans a remarkable range of venues – from the Eighth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal to state, tribal, and arbitration forums. He has tried cases across the country, from California to Virginia, with deep roots in California and South Dakota. Stephen also served as a Special Tribal Judge for the Oglala Lakota and Rosebud Sioux tribes, an experience that reflects his longstanding commitment to underserved communities. Stephen’s work has earned him significant recognition, including the E. Stanley Conant Award for his dedication to protecting the rights of the indigent accused. Since 2009, he has taught trial lawyers nationwide at the Trial Lawyers College, with a focus on trial technique and courtroom communication. He has authored articles for publications including The Warrior legal magazine and has been featured in outlets ranging from the Daily Journal to the Rapid City Journal. A native of Kingsport, Tennessee, Stephen grew up in a family steeped in storytelling, community service, and activism – a background that has always drawn him towards clients who need an advocate most. That sense of social responsibility remains at the core of his practice today. Outside work, Stephen spends time with his two children, travels, plays drums in a local band, hikes, and volunteers. He speaks Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Whatever the case, his commitment remains the same: standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Stephen is licensed to practice law in California, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas, and before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ninth and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts for the District of South Dakota, as well as the Southern and Central Districts of California.