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Breaking News

Doug S. Saeltzer Sworn In As President-Elect of the Consumer Attorneys of California

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Walkup’s 2nd Annual Turkey Giveaway

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Firm Files Petition For Writ of Certiorari To US Supreme Court In Hunters Point Cases

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Walkup Files Lawsuit Against UC Regents For Violating Free Speech

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Irish Legal 100 Honors Walkup’s Michael A. Kelly and Conor M. Kelly

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All 11 Shareholders Named ‘Best Lawyers in America’ – Michael Kelly Wins ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Two Categories!

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Walkup Firm Voted #1 Personal Injury Law Firm in California

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Fourteen Walkup Attorneys Earn Top Honors on the 2024 Super Lawyers Northern California Lists

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Matt Davis Named UC Law San Francisco ‘2024 Alum of the Year’

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Eight Walkup Shareholders Named to 2024’s “Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” Guide

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Walkup’s Doris Cheng and Richard Schoenberger Honored as 2024’s Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America

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Richard H. Schoenberger Named 2024’s “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America

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Walkup Shareholder Sara M. Peters authored an OpEd article in the Daily Journal about why California should enshrine a short-term law that allows pre-death pain and suffering damages.

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[Study] The Most Dangerous Places for Cyclists in Silicon Valley

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Most awarded law firm
in Northern California

San Francisco
Personal Injury Attorneys


Established in 1959, Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger is one of the premier personal injury firms in the United States.

For more than 60 years, we have proudly represented clients in the San Francisco bay area and across the country for personal injuries they have suffered due to the negligence of others. We understand the hardships that can come with an unexpected serious injury, and we are committed to pursuing the compensation you need to make a full recovery.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, please contact a San Francisco personal injury attorney at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger immediately to discuss your case. We are dedicated to fighting for your right to full and fair compensation.

A Bay Area Personal Injury Lawyer Can Provide Assistance in Your Time of Need

Sudden, unexpected accidents are often life-altering events that can result in extended periods of disability and stress. Dealing with any legal proceedings in such a condition can quickly become frustrating and complicated. This may include legal tasks such as:

  • Communicating with insurance companies
  • Dealing with other uncooperative parties
  • Gathering evidence necessary for your case
  • Completing any paperwork required to file your claim

In these circumstances, an injury lawyer can not only take care of all your legal needs, but also give you peace of mind as you focus on healing and recovery.

At the law firm of Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, we help navigate the legal process on your behalf. This includes gathering evidence vital to proving your case, determining the identity of the parties liable for your injuries, and negotiating with insurance companies to ensure you receive the maximum settlement possible for your case.

Our approach to case preparation is comprehensive. We review all the evidence, documents, and circumstances that can help your case, enlisting any experts from our network of professionals whose opinions may help to bolster your case. Our legal team works diligently and effectively for a fair settlement while always being ready to take the case to trial.

Most importantly, we put your needs first. Throughout our handling of your case, we take the time to get to know you, your family, your individual situation, your goals, and your needs. By doing this, we can better prepare your accident case, devising comprehensive legal strategies with your specific needs in mind. Your legal representation should always put YOU first.

Contact Us Today – See How We Can Help

If you or a loved one have experienced serious injuries due to negligence or carelessness, please contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer. There is no fee unless we recover money on your behalf. It is important to us that you get justice and are able to move forward with your life after an injury.

We have an unmatched record
of multi-million dollar results

Results that matter

Jury verdict

$52 Million

Wrongful Death & Personal Injuries / Propane Explosion

Settlement

$45 Million

Third Degree Burns / Residential Propane Tank Explosion

Jury verdict

$38.6 Million

Failure to Diagnose Stroke

Settlement

$17 Million

Product Liability Causing Brain Injury

Jury verdict

$12.2 Million

Pedestrian Injury by Dangerous Roadway

Most Awarded Personal Injury
Firm In Northern California

Three Walkup Firm partners’ long track record of multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements, commitment to legal education and public service outside the courtroom, placed them on Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America for 2024.
The annual Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America is the most elite distinction in the profession, covering the best of the best in all practice areas.
Best Lawyers® is compiled annually by conducting peer-review surveys in which leading attorneys confidentially evaluate their professional peers. Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger has ranked consistently year after year as a Top Tier firm nationally in the specialty of mass tort litigation/class actions and regionally ranked as a Top Tier firm in personal injury litigation and more.
Attorneys from the Walkup Law Firm were honored in the 2021 Super Lawyers Top Lists, including Top 10 Northern California Lawyers, Top 100 Northern California Lawyers, and Top 50 Women Lawyers in Northern California. The Super Lawyers publication has consistently named Mike Kelly a “Top Ten” honoree, and in 2020 and 2021 he received recognition as the #1 “Vote Getter” in all of Northern California.
The Walkup Law Firm’s dedication to helping injured consumers hold corporate giants accountable for wrongdoing has once again earned it a top spot this year on the list of The Recorder’s Best of 2024 Awards for Personal Injury Law Firms in California. We are also proud to be awarded the Hall of Fame status for winning three of the last six years.
The Walkup Firm is the only firm in Northern California to have two firm members honored with admission to The Inner Circle of Advocates, the most exclusive honorary society in the country honoring the top100 Plaintiff personal injury lawyers in America. Admission requires a demonstrated history of multimillion-dollar verdicts coupled with a record of public service.
Each year, American Association for Justice honors trial lawyers, affiliates, and advocates who support its fight for justice.
The CAL-ABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year is awarded annually to a recipient exhibiting the best traits of a trial lawyer – excellence in advocacy, a distinguished career, and a reputation for civility, ethics, and fair play. Each of the eight CAL-ABOTA chapters is entitled to nominate a candidate for Trial Lawyer of the Year, considered the highest honor a California trial lawyer can receive. Written and oral presentations are submitted to CAL-ABOTA’s board, followed by selecting the award recipient by majority vote.
As leaders in the areas of personal injury and wrongful death litigation, the Walkup Law Firm has been recognized by Martindale-Hubbell, most recently in 2021 when the firm received an “AV” rating, the highest rating given on the platform. The Martindale-Hubbell AV rating reflects the highest possible grade for legal competence and ethical conduct. Selection is based on confidential evaluations submitted by lawyers and judges and documents the esteem with which a lawyer’s peers rank them.
Throughout its history, the Walkup firm has been honored to have seven different members elected to this Academy of elite trial lawyers. Michael A. Kelly, Richard Schoenberger, and Doris Cheng are current Fellows. The Academy represents both sides of the Bar: prosecutors and defense lawyers in criminal cases, and plaintiff and defense counsel in civil matters.
Over the last 35 years, seven Walkup attorneys have been members of this highly selective, invitation-only honor society. Two members of the firm, Michael A. Kelly and Daniel J. Kelly, have served as the Society’s President. The International Society of Barristers selects its members through a rigorous screening process that evaluates the lawyer’s skills, experience, accomplishments, and ethical standards.
Seven different attorneys at The Walkup Law Firm have been nominated by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA) for their coveted Trial Lawyers of the Year award. Five members of the firm have won the award for their work in successfully prosecuting personal injury and wrongful death claims.
The Summit Council is an exclusive group of today’s top civil justice attorneys who are committed to the highest levels of trial advocacy, to obtaining justice for individuals and families who have been hurt by corporate wrongdoing, and to the protection of the civil justice system.
Six of our attorneys are currently named Fellows of The American College of Trial Lawyers for their dedication to improving the quality of trial and appellate advocacy. The ACTL is an invitation-only fellowship of exceptional trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds from the United States and Canada.
The Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) is a professional organization for California personal injury attorneys and other lawyers who represent plaintiffs and as an advocacy group that opposes legislation that would limit courtroom access for those without ample resources. As part of the 2022 leadership team, partner Douglas Saeltzer is the Third Vice President of this organization, comprised of California personal injury attorneys.
We are represented as one of the Best Law Firms by Best Lawyers in 2025.
As California’s premier personal injury law firm, Walkup Melodia Kelly & Schoenberger has been recognized by some of the nation’s best rating services. In 2021, our firm was once again honored with an AVVO rating of 10.0 “Superb” for firm members’ excellence in shaping personal injury law. More than 95% of lawyers in the U.S. are rated on a scale of 1-10 by AVVO.

Our clients love us and recommend us.
We are the #1 rated San Francisco personal injury firm.


Clients Trust Us

Doug Saeltzer & Kelly Ganci are professional experts that assisted me through the hardest moments of my life. I'd recommend the Walkup Firm to anyone dealing with a personal injury. CHAMPIONS!

Barry H.

I was completely overwhelmed with the after effects of a car accident that altered my life, then was connected with WMK&S. The professionalism was amazing, as was their reputation among other parties involved. I felt comfortable after just a solid 15 minute conversation, and since that call I have communicated with a handful of lawyers and representatives that assisted me through my case.

I cannot express strongly enough how pleased I am with the outstanding legal service provided by the attorneys and staff of Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, particularly Khaldoun Baghdadi, Joseph Nicholson and Lily Connors.

A Google User

By far the most genuine and supportive law firm that I’ve encountered. I can truly say they are the BEST and highly recommend them. They care about you not only as a client but as a person and make this hard process feel less stressful. They explain everything step by step they are always available to talk to everyone in their team is polite and caring.

A Google User

“Walkup is the firm where one will find lawyers with heart, feelings, and integrity. Our experience with them is nothing but passion we got from Michael Kelly and his staff, especially Spencer Pahlke. We got care and (they) handled the case so professionally that I don’t have enough words to write.”

A Yelp User

"The best my family could have chosen. Their services far exceeded our expectations. We worked with Sara Peters. She was compassionate and understanding but also very upfront about what we could expect. If we ever need legal counsel again I would not hesitate to contact them."

A Yelp User

"...What impressed me the most throughout the entire process was not only their superb knowledge but the camaraderie that the 3 of them have as a team. I would without a doubt, highly recommend them to anyone."

A Google User

"...If you are ever in the unfortunate position of needing legal help, you would be doing yourself a great favor by seeking out Spencer’s counsel, or that of anyone at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger."

A Yelp User

"...This company truly cares about people and they work with their heart and not with their greed for money!! If everyone can be this way in this society we would turn this world into true heaven on earth! Thank you Kelly & Schoenberger for all the help!"

A Yelp User

Community Care and Support


Walkup team members have consistently contributed to the welfare and improvement of the people and communities of the Bay Area and Northern California.

With the support of Walkup, UC Hastings Alumni Michael A. Kelly, Richard H. Schoenberger, and Matthew Davis committed $1 million to the law school. The main lecture hall in the new academic building at 333 Golden Gate Avenue will bear the Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger name.

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Communities We’ve Helped


8 Reasons to Choose Us


Before you decide - Ask


What should clients look for when hiring a personal injury firm?

Questions you should ask a law firm before hiring them


Choosing a lawyer can be stressful and overwhelming. Many people don’t know where to start. Learn about the right questions to ask, and how to evaluate if a firm is right for you.

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