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.

Brett Schreiber is a nationally recognized trial attorney and co-founder of Singleton Schreiber, where he leads the firm’s Personal Injury and Wrongful Death practice. He represents individuals and families harmed by corporate misconduct, defective products, dangerous roadways, and systemic safety failures, including high-profile litigation against Tesla arising from fatal crashes involving autonomous and advanced driver-assistance technologies. The dozens of cases he has tried have resulted in numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients. A series of firsts have marked Mr. Schreiber’s career, whether it was trying serious injury cases to verdict in his first years of practice, elevating to leadership positions in trial lawyer organizations years before his predecessors had, and/or receiving honors and awards typically reserved for lawyers much later in their careers. Notably, in July 2025, Mr. Schreiber served as lead trial counsel for the families of a woman killed and a man gravely injured in a crash involving a Tesla vehicle in Benavides v. Tesla, the first wrongful death case against Tesla to proceed to trial. Tesla’s design and marketing of its Autopilot system created a false sense of safety that contributed to the fatal collision. The case also intersected with a 2023 federal recall concerning Tesla’s driver-monitoring system. On August 1, 2025, a Miami jury unanimously awarded the plaintiffs $243 million, widely reported as one of the largest individual-plaintiff verdicts in the history of the American civil justice system. Before founding Singleton Schreiber, Mr. Schreiber was a partner at Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire, a San Diego plaintiffs’ firm. He also served as a legislative intern in the Florida Senate, worked as a lobbyist, clerked with a boutique South Florida law firm specializing in criminal defense, civil litigation, and family law, interned with the San Diego Public Defenders' office, and clerked with a small appellate practice. Mr. Schreiber’s career has been marked by early and sustained leadership. He tried serious injury cases to verdict in his first years of practice and rose rapidly within national trial-lawyer organizations. Guided by the Hebrew principle of tikkun olam, meaning “to heal the world,” Mr. Schreiber recognizes that to have the greatest impact serving our communities, we must integrate litigation and political strategies. What happens in the state house directly affects what happens in the courthouse and vice versa. Mr. Schreiber routinely works with local, state, and national political figures and elected office holders to ensure access to justice and that the voices of the people we represent are heard both in the courtroom and in the Capitol Rotunda. To that end, Mr. Schreiber currently serves as an Officer of the Board of Directors of Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). Mr. Schreiber graduated cum laude from Thomas Jefferson School of Law where he competed on moot court teams and was a member of the law review. He is admitted to practice in all California courts, the Southern and Central Districts of California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a proud member of Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, Attorneys Information Exchange Group, American Association of Justice and the American Board of Trial Advocates. Mr. Schreiber and his wife, Shayna, a clinical psychologist, live in Ocean Beach with their four young children. They enjoy surfing, yoga, tennis, and family outings that always include their golden retriever, Roshi.

Domenic Martini is a member of our Personal Injury and Wrongful Death practice group. An experienced trial lawyer who has earned multi-million-dollar results for his clients, he has handled cases involving personal injury, medical malpractice, eminent domain, and complex business matters.

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.

Karla R. Gasca received her Bachelor of Law (2020) from CETYS University in Mexicali, Baja California. While in Law School, Ms. Gasca was part of the student body counsel and worked as a corporate legal clerk. After graduating, she worked as an attorney for a year until she relocated to San Diego, California to pursue a legal career in the US. Prior to joining Auto Fraud Legal Center, Ms. Gasca worked as a paralegal for civil collections firm for three years. In addition, Ms. Gasca joined Perez, Vaughn and Feasby as a Paralegal for a complex business litigation matter. Ms. Gasca received a passing score on the February 2024 Bar Exam and became fully licensed to practice law in California in September 2024. In her free time, she enjoys reading and traveling, and is fully bilingual, English and Spanish.

Attorney Elizabeth Van Thiel has been a licensed lawyer since 2000. Before entering private practice, she worked in the Alternate Public Defender’s Office, where she represented clients in Juvenile Dependency Court. She joined Fischer & Van Thiel, LLP in 2011 and devotes her practice to family law. She routinely resolves cases through negotiation and mediation but is ready to take a case to trial if need be. Elizabeth is passionate about helping families resolve personal and legal disputes day in and day out.