Doug Saeltzer and Rich Schoenberger Honored as “Lawyer of the Year”
Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger is proud to announce that all 11 of its Shareholders have been recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America®, once again confirming the firm’s excellence as Plaintiff’s advocates across California and beyond. Additionally, four associates were cited among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®—a testament to the firm’s history of cultivating top-tier trial talent.
Two of our lawyers earned distinction as “Lawyer of the Year” honorees in San Francisco for 2026:
- Douglas S. Saeltzer – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Richard H. Schoenberger – Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
These awards are presented to only one lawyer per practice area in each region. They are based entirely on peer reviews – making them among the most cherished recognitions in the legal profession.
These acknowledgments follow similar honors to those of other Walkup attorneys who Best Lawyers have repeatedly recognized. with the distinguished “Lawyer of the Year” title. Michael A. Kelly is a four-time recipient, recognized across multiple categories, including medical malpractice, personal injury litigation, and mass torts and class actions. Richard H. Schoenberger has also earned “Lawyer of the Year” honors on four occasions, most recently in 2024. Khaldoun A. Baghdadi has been recognized with this top honor for his work in product liability litigation. Doris Cheng is a former “Lawyer of the Year” for medical malpractice litigation in San Francisco. Together, these awards reflect the firm’s exceptional record of advocacy and the respect its attorneys command among their peers.
2026 Best Lawyers® – Walkup Shareholders
Michael A. Kelly – Mass Tort, Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2001)
Richard H. Schoenberger – Lawyer of the Year, Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2005)
Douglas S. Saeltzer – Lawyer of the Year, Mass Tort, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2009)
Khaldoun Baghdadi – Mass Tort, Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012)
Doris Cheng – Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2010)
Matthew Davis – Mass Tort, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2007)
Conor Kelly – Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs, Personal Injury, Product Liability (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2019)
Andrew McDevitt – Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2022)
Spencer Pahlke – Personal Injury-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2014)
Sara Peters – Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2020)
Valerie Rose – Personal Injury-Plaintiffs (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023)
2026 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®
Recognizing outstanding attorneys early in their careers:
- Christian R. Jagusch – Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs.
- Jeffrey Clause – Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs,
- Joseph Nicholson – Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs,
- Max Schuver – Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Product Liability-Plaintiffs.
We congratulate all of our honorees on this well-deserved recognition and thank our peers in the legal community for their continued trust and support.
