Michelle Meyers is a Partner at Singleton Schreiber and is a member of our Fire Litigation, Public Entity Law, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death, Insurance Recovery and Bad Faith practice groups. A seasoned trial and policy holder attorney, she has spent her career litigating complex civil matters involving personal injury, mass torts, civil rights, and insurance coverage in federal and state courts. Ms. Meyers has extensive trial experience in insurance litigation. She recently tried an insurance coverage matter, wherein the jury found in favor of the Plaintiff by concluding that the insurance company improperly denied the Plaintiff’s request for payment of life insurance benefits. Ms. Meyers regularly represents policyholders in life, property, and disability insurance coverage disputes, including wrongful policy termination and bad-faith denial cases, and has a strong track record of taking these matters to jury verdict. Before joining Singleton Schreiber, Ms. Meyers served as a deputy attorney for the State of California Department of Transportation, as a supervising trial attorney for the City of Oakland, and as an associate and an insurance coverage partner at a firm in Oakland, California. She was the lead defense strategist for the City of Oakland in civil and criminal cases arising from the “Ghost Ship” fire, the deadliest fire in the history of Oakland. Ms. Meyers earned a B.A. in Political Science from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, in 2000, where she was a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha National Honors Society. She earned her law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2004 and is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in California and Nevada and in the U.S. Supreme Court. Outside the office, Ms. Meyers enjoys spending time on the sports field with her family and two crazy border collies.

Chris Rodriguez is a partner in the Sacramento office of Singleton Schreiber and, along with partner Andrew Bluth, leads the firm’s mass torts practice. Before opening the Sacramento office of Singleton Schreiber, Mr. Rodriguez was a partner at two major national law firms and served as the managing partner of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman’s Sacramento office. Mr. Rodriguez is an experienced trial attorney who has represented clients in jury trials, bench trials, arbitrations, and administrative hearings involving a broad array of complex civil litigation issues. He prides himself on not only being a fierce advocate and skilled trial lawyer, but also on developing practical, efficient strategies that serve the best interests and well-being of his clients. Throughout his career, Mr. Rodriguez has successfully represented some of America’s largest corporations in business-to-business litigation, as well as in litigation against state and federal agencies. Mr. Rodriguez is excited to bring that experience to Singleton Schreiber and its clients. Mr. Rodriguez is admitted in all state and federal courts in the state of California, as well as the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Rodriguez graduated from Harvard University in 1996 with a degree in economics (cum laude) and earned his law degree in 2000 from the Boalt Hall (Berkeley) School of Law. He has been regularly recognized by Sacramento Magazine as a “Top Lawyer.” Mr. Rodriguez grew up in a small town outside of Sacramento, California, where he still lives with his wife and three children. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, coaching competitive youth basketball, and volunteering as an umpire for the local Little League baseball program.

Ben Siminou is a certified appellate specialist, and leads our Motion, Writs & Appeals practice group. Mr. Siminou handles law-and-motion and appellate briefing in complex, high-stakes cases in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He has notable wins in the California Supreme Court, Nebraska Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and California Court of Appeal. Between 2020 and 2023, Mr. Siminou defeated dispositive motions in cases with an aggregate value of $100 million. In 2023, Mr. Siminou received the first ever “Appellate Case of the Year Award” from Consumer Attorneys of San Diego for Ross v. Superior Court, 77 Cal.App.5th 667 (2022), which held that efforts to tamper with a witness in a civil case are admissible at trial as consciousness of guilt, and may justify so-called “apex” depositions of high-ranking government officials. In 2021, Mr. Siminou received the “XONR8R Award” from the California Innocence Project for his pro bono work in Larsen v. California Victim Compensation Board, 64 Cal.App.5th 112 (2021), which expanded the rights of wrongfully convicted persons to receive compensation for their time spent incarcerated. In 2018, Mr. Siminou received the “Appellate Advocacy Award” from the National Civil Justice Institute in Washington D.C., which “recognizes excellence in appellate advocacy” nationwide. The award acknowledged Mr. Siminou’s work in T.H. Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp., 4 Cal.5th 145 (2017), a landmark decision by the California Supreme Court that greatly expanded rights for victims of mislabeled drugs. Super Lawyers recognized Mr. Siminou as a “Rising Star” in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and a “Super Lawyer” in 2021. Before entering private practice, Mr. Siminou served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Michael G. Heavican, Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court. He then spent nearly a decade with Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire LLP, before starting Siminou Appeals, Inc., a solo appellate practice. Mr. Siminou earned a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University with a double major in political science and English. He graduated Order of the Coif with High Distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law, where he was the editor in chief of the Nebraska Law Review and earned numerous honors and awards, particularly for his legal research and writing. In 2020, Mr. Siminou joined the Committee on the Appellate Courts, a select, statewide group of appellate lawyers in the public and private sectors that help influence rules and procedure in California’s appellate courts. In 2023, he joined the board of directors for Consumer Attorneys of San Diego. Mr. Siminou volunteers his time to pro bono cases and as a mentor for The Appellate Project, guiding law students of color or from marginalized groups who are interested in careers in appellate advocacy. When Mr. Siminou is not writing briefs or consulting with trial lawyers, he can be found at the beach or on a hiking trail with his wife and children, in the gym, or on a racetrack in a car. Mr. Siminou is admitted to practice in California, Nebraska, and the Second, Third, Fifth, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Kathryn Baxendale graduated from Santa Barbara College of Law and is admitted to practice in California state courts. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Scripps College and Master’s in Business Administration from Virscend University. Ms. Baxendale currently works in the Fire Litigation practice area, representing survivors of wildfires.

Carmela Birnbaum is a member of our personal injury and wrongful death division and a seasoned attorney who has helped hundreds of clients make recoveries in their personal injury cases. With more than a decade of experience, Ms. Birnbaum is dedicated to her clients and fights vigorously for their interests. She places a premium on communicating with her clients and providing clear guidance throughout the legal process. 

Haley Savage is a graduate of San Diego State University (B.S.) and University of San Diego School of Law (J.D.). She was admitted to the California Bar in November 2024. In her legal experience, she has shown a commitment to public service and justice. Upon graduation, she was honored with a High Honor Pro Bono Recognition award for over 250 hours in volunteer work. She joined the Auto Fraud Legal Center to continue to fight for people and protect consumers from unfair and deceptive business practices. Outside of work, Haley enjoys reading, traveling, and going to concerts.

Attorney Ashley Mangold’s path in criminal defense law has been profoundly shaped by her diverse legal experiences and passion for advocacy. Growing up in Carlsbad, California, Ashley developed a strong connection to her community. After earning her undergraduate degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, with a minor in Global Terrorism Studies, at the University of Maryland, she returned to California to pursue her Juris Doctor at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. During law school, Ashley worked in various district attorney offices across California, gaining hands-on experience in both state and federal cases. This exposure to a wide range of criminal matters ignited her passion for criminal defense, where she thrives on the intellectual challenges and takes pride in advocating for the best outcomes for her clients. Since passing the bar, Ashley has been honing her skills as an associate attorney at Sevens Legal, where she is dedicated to providing compassionate and effective legal defense.

The Law Offices of Paul R. Irish, located in Sacramento, California, is a law firm that specializes in providing legal services with a focus on family law.

Merritt McKeon is considered to be one of California’s preeminent experts in complex international and interstate family law litigation, mediation, and appeals, and has received numerous awards over 25 years of experience as an expert in international Hague Treaty petitions, child abduction, domestic violence, and both domestic and civil business mediation. Ms. McKeon has appeared on numerous television broadcasts such as Burden of Proof, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, The 700 Club, C-NBC, and various international media outlets in both Australia and Italy. In 1999, Ms. McKeon participated on a legal team with attorney Gloria Allred which resulted in the successful release of an American-born child whose mother had been murdered in Italy. Ms. McKeon appeared in the book Fight Back And Win: My Thirty-Year Fight Against Injustice and How You Can Win Your Own Battles by Gloria Allred, which highlights Ms. McKeon’s participation in the successful appeal written in Italy for the Italian Court. Ms. McKeon is co-author of Stop Domestic Violence: An Action Planning Guide to Saving Lives and appeared with the father of Nicole Brown Simpson on Larry King Live shortly after the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Merritt is considered a preeminent attorney in her subject areas and a ‘lawyer’s -lawyer’ who enjoys participating as both case consultant and co-counsel, focusing on tactical solutions to complex legal issues which often result in successful mediation through alternative dispute resolution (ADR). In 2014 Merritt attended the renowned Pepperdine, Strauss Mediation program and maintains an active practice assisting both clients and attorneys.