Maximize Your Client’s Recovery. Refer Your Case To Walkup.

Most Awarded Personal Injury Firm In Northern California

Our firm is the most awarded Personal Injury firm in Northern California, with more Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers listings and more American College of Trial Lawyers members than any other injury firm

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Attorney Referrals

We handle cases on referral from or in association with lawyers throughout California and across the United States. For more than 50 years we have been a trusted referral partner by attorneys in all practice disciplines looking for the right representation for clients with substantial personal injury and wrongful death cases. Consistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct and governing law we have paid millions of dollars in fees to referring and associated counsel every year since 1959. As one of the pre-eminent plaintiff personal injury and wrongful death firms in the country, we receive referrals from firms of all sizes, from solo practitioners to large mega-firms who want to make sure their clients are well taken care of. Non-personal injury specialists in every type of practice area, from intellectual property to corporate, public interest to tort defense, tax to patent and trademark, have trusted us with the referral of friends, family and clients to investigate and prosecute injury and death claims.

KHALDOUN BAGHDADI

SHAREHOLDER

You Can Depend On Our Referral Agreements And Payments

All referral agreements and referral fees are paid consistent with State Bar Rule 2-200. Acknowledgment of the referral agreement by the client at the time of initial retention is required by law.

We work with referring counsel to make certain that the referral fee or fee division is fair and reflects proper compensation for the work undertaken, the risk assumed, the time commitment involved the potential for loss, and the advanced costs responsibility of the individual case. There is no one size fits all arrangement. In each case, the amount or percentage of the fee is tailored to the individual circumstances of the case. Factors which are considered include the size of the case, its complexity, the overall fee negotiated with the client, the likelihood of success, the responsibility for advanced costs, the amount of involvement of the referring attorney, and the point in the case at which our firm has been retained or associated. We pay referrals and share fees in medical negligence, brain injury, auto accident, catastrophic injury, construction site injuries, product defect claims, medical drug and device litigation, government liability, and truck collisions.

A Collaborative Approach To Referred Cases

We welcome referrals at any point in the litigation. Ideally, we prefer that we be retained as early as possible so that we can direct initial investigation and litigation strategy, discovery planning, expert retention, trial preparation and settlement negotiations. In some cases, we are retained on the eve of trial, and our attorneys are ready to accept matters on short notice. We take pride in our lawyers’ ability to work cooperatively with our referring attorneys. Whether a referring attorney wishes to remain involved, joint venture the case or negotiate some other type of cooperative participation agreement, it is a rare instance where we are unable to negotiate an equitable referral fee agreement.

We know that when referring attorneys send us a matter for collaboration they are placing their reputation on the line. We know that after a referral is made to us, referring counsel rightfully expects that at the end of the case, the client will greet them with these two words: thank you. A referral to our firm reflects an important decision to get the best result for the client while allowing the initial lawyer to share in the fee according to Rule of Professional Conduct 2-200.

Whether specializing in family law, business, real estate, patent and trademark, tax, insurance defense or plaintiff’s personal injury practice, lawyers who work with us via referral or association are treated with respect and their relationship with the client is protected and acknowledged.

The litigation and trial of serious and catastrophic injury or wrongful death cases is time-consuming, difficult and expensive. The lawyers at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger stand ready to receive referring counsel’s association in these cases to maximize the clients recovery. Lawyers in other fields of specialty know that by trusting Walkup their clients will get an optimum result.

If you would like to discuss a potential referral with any attorney at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, please call one of our partners or Kevin Domecus at (415) 889-2919, or you can email us at kdomecus@ walkuplawoffice.com.

What To Look For When Selecting A Personal Injury Referral Partner

Law firms that have developed niche practice areas necessarily have more in-depth knowledge and experience than generalists. That means specialists can focus on optimizing client outcomes in areas they already know -- rather than learning the applicable law for the first time or crafting a strategy in new cases they haven't seen before. Specialists use their time to perfect case approaches that increase the likelihood of a client’s successful financial recovery.

Happy, satisfied clients willing to tell their story to others are an honest indicator of client satisfaction. When selecting a referral partner, you want to ensure that your potential partner has past clients who have been satisfied and happy. Good lawyers ensure that their clients receive the help and support they deserve, and these must be characteristics of any law firm you refer a client to. A history of positive testimonials from previous clients says volumes about your referral partner's dedication to its clients.

When the other side knows that the law firm you are partnering with has defeated them in the past, they treat your referral partner and your client’s claim with greater respect. A track record of past success against the country's largest corporations, insurers, and businesses tells the other side that your referral partners are not intimidated by power, size, or money.

In selecting a firm to partner with, you want to make sure that the firm you choose has the financial stability to prosecute any case, no matter how long it takes or how much it costs, to obtain the last dime owed to your client. Taking an initial settlement offer or convincing the client to take less than is owed are not characteristics that you want in a referral firm. Good, skilled, experienced and fearless lawyers understand how much is owed, what probable jury verdicts look like, what the risks and benefits to the client are of trial, and will transparently discuss all of those issues with your client, and you, to make sure that any decisions about settlement or pre trial resolution are made for the right reasons and in the right amount.

A history of substantial settlements and jury verdicts in complex cases is the hallmark of referral partners who are serious, skilled, and unafraid of the courtroom. Those characteristics are critical when referring a complex, challenging, or major case to a referral firm. Those attributes tell your client that the firm you have selected to help them is willing to fight up to and through trial to obtain the maximum possible compensation for their losses.

When attorneys are looking for a referral firm, they want to make sure that whoever they select keeps the client informed. They don't want to hear complaints from the client that they have selected a firm that doesn't answer phone calls, or doesn't keep the client updated, or talks down to the client. After all, the case is about the client, not the lawyers. A commitment to transparency and communication makes sure that the only thing you hear from your clients is “thank you” after you have referred them to the right referral partner.

Where physical or emotional injury is the focus of the litigation, it only makes sense to find a referral firm that has a full-time M.D. JD on staff. Having a skilled physician, who is also a lawyer, acting as part of your referral team guarantees that the full panoply of injuries sustained by the client is recognized, evaluated, worked-up, and described with accuracy to a judge, jury, or mediator. Having an MD JD on staff also assists in hiring and collaborating with the right experts for the injuries sustained by your client. Personal injury damages are focused on treatment, diagnosis, and prognosis. An on-staff doctor is an attribute that very few firms possess.

When choosing a referral partner, it's important to consider the firm’s proven track record, something you can verify through court results, judge feedback, and peer reputation. Consistent referrals that yield consistent, strong outcomes build a reputation rooted in fact. Ultimately, any decision to refer a seriously injured client should be guided by what’s in the client’s best interest, and a firm’s history of results is a key factor in making that determination.

When selecting a firm to partner with, honesty and integrity are key. When cases are referred and a referral fee, or a fee sharing, is part of the agreement, it's critical that the referral partner fulfill its written obligations. It's also important that any fee-sharing agreement be reduced to writing and approved by the client, consistent with appropriate State Bar requirements. The fee to the client must be fair and consistent with State Bar rules. While the contingency fee system permits injured clients with few resources to secure good lawyers, the lawyers must recognize that any contingency fee must be fair in light of the nature and extent of the injury, the amount of work that will be undertaken, the financial investment to be made by the firm, and the cost of turning down other cases in order to work on the matter you are referring.

The ideal referral partner should seek justice for those who have been wronged, advocating for the rights of underserved people in the community. By seeking to invoke change at an institutional level, you have chosen a firm with a conscience.

Major corporations, health insurers, casualty insurers, and public entities' insurance companies have nearly unlimited budgets to defend claims. The referral Partner you select needs to be similarly situated in terms of the ability to finance litigation brought on behalf of your client. The cost of prosecution under contingent fee agreements can be a major burden - experts are expensive, discovery is expensive, exhibits are expensive, travel is expensive, trial preparation and conduct are expensive, and appeals are expensive. Your partner lawyer must be able to finance the case dollar for dollar to combat he behemoth on the other side.

Some law firms delegate cases to paralegals or junior associates because they are understaffed or overworked. The ideal referral partner should have sufficient staff and experienced counsel so that, regardless of size, at least two lawyers in the firm are available at any time to provide personalized attention to the client.

Attorneys who are capable of teaching other lawyers the proper methods of representation almost always have superior talent in the courtroom, with exceptional knowledge, skills, and experience.

The Best Lawyers, ABOTA, and the American College of Trial Lawyers are reputable entities that have been around for many years and whose stamp of approval or citation of excellence are reasonable indicators of a firm's success.

The ideal referral partner has a verifiable reputation among lawyers and judges that is excellent in all respects in upholding the highest professional and ethical legal standards.

6 Reasons Why Attorneys Refer Their Cases to Us

Maximize Your Client’s Recovery

Equitable Referral Fee Agreements

Collaborative Approach

Most Awarded in Northern California

Unmatched record of multi-million- dollar results

Trusted Referral Partner for Over 50 Years