Marcela Mercado is a dedicated Monterey County personal injury attorney and co-founder of Mercado Kramer LLP, committed to helping injury victims and their families pursue justice throughout California. With a powerful personal story and a relentless work ethic, Ms. Mercado brings both compassion and tenacity to every case she handles. A native of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, Ms. Mercado immigrated to the United States with her mother at the age of 6. Growing up speaking Spanish and working in restaurants from a young age, she developed a deep appreciation for hard work and perseverance — values that continue to define her legal practice today. Ms. Mercado worked full-time while attending San Jose State University before earning her Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law. She also obtained a Master’s degree in Alternative Dispute Resolution, equipping her with advanced skills in negotiation and creative problem-solving. She leverages this training to secure strategic, effective resolutions in even the most challenging and complex injury cases. Before founding Mercado Kramer LLP, Ms. Mercado gained valuable experience at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, handling high-stakes, multi-million-dollar cases. She has since successfully litigated and resolved hundreds of cases across California, earning a reputation for obtaining top settlements in matters that other attorneys are often unwilling to take on. Her practice focuses on personal injury cases involving car accidents, catastrophic injuries, Lyft and Uber accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall incidents, truck accidents, and wrongful death claims. Known for her fierce advocacy and unwavering dedication to her clients, Ms. Mercado is committed to fighting for maximum compensation and meaningful results for those she represents.

John Lemon is a seasoned trial and appellate lawyer with over 25 years’ experience handling complex, high-stakes cases in state and federal trial courts and in the federal appellate courts. With over 50 cases tried to verdict and at least as many arguments before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Mr. Lemon has won favorable verdicts and appellate decisions in the most serious and complex criminal cases, including theft of trade secrets, racketeering, and murder. Since joining Singleton Schreiber in 2021, he has led the firm’s liability teams in several major fire cases and other mass torts. In July 2025 – acting as lead counsel in a civil trial for the first time – he won an $11.1M verdict in a personal-injury case arising from a road-rage assault. Mr. Lemon is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the State Bar of California as a trial specialist. He was a San Diego Daily Transcript “Top Attorney” for 2009 and was the Best Lawyers 2021 Lawyer of the Year in San Diego for criminal defense. He is AV rated (the highest peer rating for legal ability and ethical standards) by Martindale Hubbell and has been recognized in San Diego Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America every year since 2008 and 2014, respectively. He holds a B.A. in Letters with Distinction from the University of Oklahoma and a J.D. from Stanford.

Before joining Singleton Schreiber as a Partner, Mark Slaughter was one of the founding members of Slaughter & Slaughter, a premier personal injury firm. He is a zealous legal advocate who aggressively represents his clients in catastrophic personal injury cases. Mr. Slaughter has used his tremendous advocacy and negotiating skills to obtain numerous six- and seven-figure settlements for a multitude of clients who have been injured in motor vehicle, trucking, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents. Mr. Slaughter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at the University of Missouri and his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego.

Britt Strottman is a partner in the Sacramento office of Singleton Schreiber and leads the firm’s Public Entity Practice Group, specializing in litigation against corporations for wrongdoing. A seasoned litigator with over 25 years representing state and local governments, as both in-house and outside counsel, and 30 jury trials. After working on the tobacco litigation and subprime mortgage issues as a senior assistant attorney general in Ohio, Britt then represented over 40 California cities and counties in opioid and fire litigation, culminating in a $1 billion settlement with PG&E for the North Bay and Camp Fires. Her knowledge of complex litigation, as well as her ability to resolve eight-, nine-, and ten-figure lawsuits, puts her in a unique class of attorneys. She was recognized by the Daily Journal as one of the "Top 100 Lawyers in California," a “Top 20 Under 40” Lawyer, and one of the “Top 100 Women Lawyers”; by The Recorder as a “Giant Slayer”; and by The Best Lawyers in America as one of “Northern California’s Best Lawyers” for successfully representing the city of San Bruno in the high profile gas line explosion and North Bay wildfire cities and counties against Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E). Since 2023, Ms. Strottman has provided counsel to the County of Mora, Mora Independent School District, Las Vegas City Schools, and Mora-San Miguel Electric Cooperative, aiding their efforts to recover losses from the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. Leading a team of experts, she developed a damages model to prove over hundreds of millions of dollars in reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), covering various damages such as road and structural damage, operational setbacks, and increased administrative costs. Through strategic advocacy, Ms. Strottman has ensured these public entities receive the necessary support to rebuild and thrive after the tragedy. Ms. Strottman represented the counties of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, Yuba, Butte, and Nevada, as well as the cities of Napa, Santa Rosa, Clearlake, and the Town of Paradise, in the deadly 2017 and 2018 wildfires, work that helped secure a $1 billion recovery from PG&E for local governments. She also represented Calaveras County in litigation over a destructive PG&E-caused wildfire, obtaining a $25.4 million recovery for the county. Her work on the San Bruno pipeline explosion, one of the most catastrophic gas line failures in U.S. history, led to a $120 million recovery for the City of San Bruno. The case stemmed from PG&E’s 2010 pipeline rupture that killed eight people, leveled an entire neighborhood, and exposed years of safety failures. Her role helped force accountability and deliver meaningful resources for the community’s long-term rebuilding. Ms. Strottman’s in-house counsel experience includes serving as a Deputy City Attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney's Office, Senior Assistant Attorney General at the Ohio Attorney General's Office, and a Deputy District Attorney at the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office. Ms. Strottman represented the counties of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, Yuba, Butte and Nevada as well as the cities/town of Napa, Santa Rosa, Clearlake and the Town of Paradise in the deadly and devastating wildfires in 2017 and 2018. Instrumental in recovering $1 Billion from PG&E for the counties and cities. She represented Calaveras County in a destructive fire against PG&E which resulted in a $25.4 million recovery for the County. She has recovered $120 million for San Bruno from PG&E in the gas line explosion. Ms. Strottman’s in-house counsel experience includes serving as a Deputy City Attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney's Office; Senior Assistant Attorney General at the Ohio Attorney General's Office; and as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office. Ms. Strottman graduated in 2000 from the University of San Francisco School of Law and received her B.A in English from Vanderbilt University in 1997. She has always been passionate about protecting the elderly and proudly served as a board member for Meals on Wheels Diablo Region for six years. Ms. Strottman currently serves on the University of San Francisco School of Law’s Board of Counselors. Britt enjoys spending time with her husband, three active kids, and energetic Border Collie and lives in Walnut Creek, CA. Ms. Strottman enjoys reading and has been in the same book club for 25 years.

Matthew Clendenin is a senior trial attorney and the Director of the Pre-Litigation Team in our Personal Injury and Wrongful Death practice group. His litigation skills have earned significant results for his clients and the recognition of his peers. Mr. Clendenin began his career as a paralegal for several large law firms. He then attended the Santa Clara University School of Law, where he received many awards and accolades, including “Best Oral Advocate” in the Moot Court Competition. During law school, he was trained in oral argument by barristers at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn of Court in London, England, and studied at Magdalen College, Oxford. Mr. Clendenin is deeply involved in the San Diego Trial Lawyer Community, currently serving at the President-Elect for Consumer Attorneys of San Diego. Mr. Clendenin is also the former President of the Irish American Bar Association and former President of the Del Mar Professionals Association. Mr. Clendenin has repeatedly been recognized as a top-tier trial attorney. In 2025, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego awarded Mr. Clendenin the “Outstanding Trial Lawyer” award for his $13.7 million dollar verdict in Muhlbach v. Kemper Ins. The verdict was the 45th largest verdict of 2025 in California. In 2022, Mr. Clendenin received the “Street Fighter” trial lawyer award which specifically honors lawyers who take difficult cases to trial. He and his wife Marta Clendenin have been married for nearly 20 years, and have two daughters, Noemi and Lucie. Outside of work, Mr. Clendenin’s passions include darts, cycling, board games, good whisky, and good company.

Proudly taking accident & injury and real estate cases out of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.

Shannon Whitaker is an attorney in our Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, and Medical Malpractice practice groups. Ms. Whitaker has over a decade of experience in the legal field, having worked as a legal assistant in complex business litigation and workers' compensation firms before earning her law degree – giving her a well-rounded foundation and a client-centered approach to every case. Ms. Whitaker earned her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law. During law school, she externed for the Honorable Andrew G. Schopler of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is actively involved in the legal community. Ms. Whitaker serves as co-chair of the Trial Advocacy Committee for Lawyers Club of San Diego and as the Education Chair for the New Lawyers Division of the Consumer Attorneys of California. She is a proud member of the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, American Association for Justice, Attorneys Information Exchange Group, Society of Women Trial Lawyers, and Lawyers Club of San Diego. Ms. Whitaker is admitted to practice in the state of California. In her spare time, Ms. Whitaker can often be found hiking up a mountain or painting – sometimes at the same time. She also loves traveling, practicing calligraphy, and experimenting with new recipes.

Jonna Lothyan is a member of our Motions, Writs, & Appeals practice group. An accomplished litigator and appellate attorney, she began her practice with one of the nation’s largest defense firms. This experience gave her valuable insight into defense strategies and informs the effective arguments she develops on behalf of her clients at Singleton Schreiber, where she is passionate about fighting for the compensation her clients deserve.

Karlie Ruder is an Associate Attorney on Singleton Schreiber’s Personal Injury team, where she is dedicated to advocating for individuals and families and is committed to ensuring justice for her clients. With a diverse legal background, she brings valuable experience to her role, having worked on personal injury, consumer protection, and criminal law cases during her legal career. Karlie earned her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2024. While in law school, she worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, focusing on personal injury cases; the University of San Diego Civil Clinic, where she contributed to consumer protection efforts; and the Saline County Attorney’s Office in Kansas, where she gained experience in criminal law. Before law school, Karlie earned her bachelor’s degree and developed her skills in public speaking, research, and critical analysis, preparing her for the complexities of legal practice. Outside of her legal work, Karlie enjoys playing the violin, singing, and exploring her creative side through drawing and painting. She also loves spending time outdoors paddleboarding, reading, or enjoying the natural beauty of San Diego. Karlie lives with her husband, Jacob, and their two cats, Alice and Benny.

Ben Koh began his legal career at Singleton Schreiber as a law clerk in 2022. He now serves as a trial attorney within the firm’s Personal Injury and Wrongful Death practice group. Ben represents plaintiffs in a variety of civil matters in California state and federal courts, including product liability, medical malpractice, and other catastrophic injury cases. He has held major retailers accountable for selling dangerous products, predatory caretakers for exploiting vulnerable individuals, and government actors for civil rights violations and negligence. As a litigator, he is driven by principles of discipline, persistence, and empathy, which has resulted in millions of dollars recovered for his clients. Mentorship and community led Ben to where he is today. He pays it forward by serving as a mentor to dozens of law students and new attorneys. He also holds leadership positions with the Korean American Bar Association of San Diego and the Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego, both of which have awarded him for his dedicated service. While attending law school at the University of San Diego, Ben proudly served as President of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. He also interned with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California and volunteered at a Los Angeles-based reentry advocacy center, helping provide legal assistance to formerly incarcerated individuals. Ben has called San Diego home for nearly a decade. He is a connoisseur of Korean BBQ, karaoke rooms, and live music events. In his free time, you can find him DJing, snowboarding, or spoiling his standard poodle, Ephraim.