San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys Berman & Riedel, LLP - Attorneys at Law

858-350-8855 - San Diego, CA Home Office - Practicing throughout the State of California

San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys


Attorney William M. Berman

William M. Berman

Berman & Riedel, LLP
Firm Founding & Managing Partner, Since 1997
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 350-9855
e-mail:

William M. Berman is a successful San Diego personal injury attorney and the founding and managing partner Berman & Riedel, LLP. One of the youngest attorneys ever in the State of California to receive the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell AV rating, Mr. Berman has broad litigation experience in handling complex civil litigation matters on behalf of injured consumers involving claims of serious automobile accidents, trucking accidents, aviation accidents, boating/watercraft accidents, catastrophic construction and work site injuries, products liability matters, and medical malpractice actions. In addition to his work as a San Diego accident lawyer, Mr. Berman was instrumental in establishing the firm's renowned nursing home and elder abuse litigation department, obtaining one of the highest settlements ever against a residential care facility for the elderly in the State of California in just his second year of practice. Since such time, Mr. Berman has gone forward to develop one of the leading elder abuse/neglect practices throughout the state, and his work in the area of elder abuse and neglect litigation continues to garner substantial media attention and the notice of the state legislature, which has helped to bring the issue of proper elder care to the forefront of the public's mind.

Areas of Practice/Focus:

  • Serious Personal Injury
  • Wrongful Death
  • Elder Abuse/Neglect
  • 90% of Practice Devoted to Plaintiffs' Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation

Bar Admissions:

  • California State Bar, 1997
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 1998
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2003

Formal Education:

  • California Western School of Law, San Diego, California, January, 1997, Juris Doctor, cum laude
  • Arizona State University, May 1993, Bachelor of Science (Major: Justice Studies, Minor: Communications)

Honors and Awards:

  • Outstanding Advocate Award, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, 2000 - Present
  • Lawyers to Watch in 2000, San Diego County Bar Association, 2000 - Present

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • Member, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, 1997 - Present
  • Member, San Diego County Bar Association, 1998 - Present
  • Member, American Trial Lawyers Association, 1999 - Present

Past Legal Positions:

  • Law Offices of William M. Berman, Sole Practitioner, 1997 - 1999
  • Berman & Walton, LLP, Founding and Managing Partner, 2000 - 2005
  • Berman & Riedel, LLP, Founding and Managing Partner, 2005 - present

Pro Bono Activities:

  • Trial Lawyers Care, Inc. (September 11 Fund Pro Bono Program), 2002 - 2004

Ancillary Businesses:

  • Professional Sports Management

Hobbies:

  • Sports, Travel, Recreation

Featured Articles in the News:

Attorney Kelley Riedel

U. Kelley Riedel, Esquire

Berman & Riedel, LLP
Firm Partner, Since 2005
Firm Attorney, Since 2002
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 350-9855

U. Kelley Riedel is a San Diego personal injury lawyer and partner with the civil litigation firm, Berman & Riedel, LLP, where she has worked since 2002. Ms. Riedel has extensive experience in handing complex general personal injury cases and medical malpractice lawsuits, as well as product liability actions in both state-wide and nationally coordinated federal multi-district litigation cases for defective medical devices. Currently, Ms. Riedel heads the firm's legal-based administrative functions, marketing, reporting of case matters, overseeing publication of the firm's periodic newsletter and maintaining the firm's multiple websites. In addition to overseeing the firm's administrative needs, Ms. Riedel also directs the firm's community outreach programs, including the coordination of pro-bono and volunteer services conducted by the firm. Indeed since joining the firm, Ms. Riedel has handled several high profile pro bono cases, including the work she provided for Trial Lawyers Care, Inc., where she together with firm partner, William M. Berman, represented the widow and children of one of the most prominent and Nationally featured FDNY firefighters who lost his life in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, obtaining an exemplary settlement from the federally-funded Victim's Compensation Fund after presenting evidence that the claims of this particular family should not be bound to the "presumed limits" imposed under the Fund.

Bar Admissions:

  • California State Bar, June 1997
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California, June, 1997
  • U.S. Supreme Court, November 2003

Formal Education:

  • California Western School of Law, San Diego, California, January 1997, Juris Doctor
  • University of Arizona, May, 1994, Bachelor of Arts (Major: Political Science Minor: Biochemistry)

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • Member, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, 1997 - Present
  • Member, San Diego County Bar Association, 1998 - Present
  • Member, American Trial Lawyers Association, 1999 - Present

Past Legal Positions:

  • Berman & Riedel, LLP, Partner, 2005 - present
  • Berman & Walton, LLP, Associate Attorney, 2002-2005
  • Neil, Dymott, et.al., Associate Attorney, 1997-2002

Pro Bono Activities:

  • Trial Lawyers Care, Inc. (September 11 Fund Pro Bono Program), 2002 - 2004

Hobbies:

  • Exercise, Sports and Travel
Attorney Natalie B. DeClusin

Natalie B. DeClusin

Berman & Riedel, LLP
Associate Attorney
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 950-9855
email:

Natalie B. DeClusin is an associate San Diego personal injury attorney with the firm. She joined the team at Berman & Riedel, LLP, directly after being admitted to the California State Bar in December 2008. Ms. DeClusin is a civil litigation attorney with her primary focus being in serious personal injury, wrongful death, and elder abuse/neglect cases. As a student at California Western School of Law, she was accepted into the dual-degree program, and graduated cum laude in May 2008 with her Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.). In addition, Ms. DeClusin earned top honors for her legal research and writing, and became a tutor for California Western's Academic Achievement Program.

Bar Admissions:

  • California State Bar, 2008
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 2008

Formal Education:

  • California Western School of Law, Juris Doctor, cum laude, May 2008
  • San Diego State University, Masters of Business Administration, May 2008
  • Arizona State University, Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Minor in Spanish, cum laude, June 2004

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • Member, San Diego County Bar Association, 2008 - Present
  • Member, North County Bar Association, 2008 - Present

Honors and Awards:

  • Academic Achievement Award, Advanced Legal Research and Writing (Highest Grade in Class)
  • Dean's List, Fall 2005 and Fall 2007

Past Legal Positions:

  • Post-Bar Law Clerk, Berman & Riedel, LLP, 2008
  • Legal Intern, Wertz McDade Wallace Moot & Brower, 2008
  • Legal Intern, Doan Levinson and Liljigren, 2007
  • Legal Intern, Office of the U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, 2005

Pro Bono Activities:

  • Legal Intern, California Western Community Law Project, 2005-2006
  • Teacher, Street Law, 2005-2006
Robert J Bello, Esquire

Robert J. Bello, Esquire

Associate Attorney
Berman & Riedel, LLP
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 350-9855
e-mail:

Robert J. Bello grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois, and attended Northwestern University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in both Economics and Political Science. While at Northwestern University, Mr. Bello played on the school's varsity baseball team and after graduating, he played professional baseball in Italy for two seasons. 

After playing baseball in Italy, Mr. Bello moved to San Diego, California, to attend law school.  Mr. Bello earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.  While at Thomas Jefferson, Mr. Bello received several distinguished accolades including making the honor roll/distinguished honor roll every semester, being named a member of Law Review, and being selected to be a student representative of the notable Wallace Inn of Court.  While at Thomas Jefferson, Mr. Bello was also chosen to serve as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Leo S. Papas at the United States District Court, Southern District of California and for the Honorable Judith L. Haller at the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division One.  Mr. Bello also helped found Thomas Jefferson's Dual Degree MBA Program with San Diego State University, and was the first graduate of the official program, earning both his Juris Doctor and Masters of Business Administration.  At SDSU, Mr. Bello was recognized as the 2009 Outstanding MBA/JD Graduate and was named a member of the distinguished Phi Kappa Phi national honor society.  

Mr. Bello joined Berman & Riedel, LLP, as an Associate Attorney in 2010.  His practice areas include catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and elder law.  Mr. Bello is admitted to practice in California and the United States District Court, Southern District of California. 

Mr. Bello holds dual citizenship with the United States and Italy, and speaks fluent Italian.  In his free time, Mr. Bello enjoys surfing, traveling, playing competitive baseball, and spending time with his wife Erin, who is also an attorney.

Areas of Practice/Focus:

  • Serious Personal Injury
  • Wrongful Death
  • Elder Abuse / Neglect

Bar Admissions:

  • California State Bar, December 2009
  • United States District Court, Southern District of California, April 2010

Formal Education:

  • Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, California, Juris Doctor, May 2009, magna cum laude
  • San Diego State University, San Diego, California, Masters in Business Administration (M.B.A.), May 2009
  • Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, Bachelor of Arts (Double Major in Economics and Political Science)

Honors & Awards:

  • Member, Thomas Jefferson Law Review
  • 2009 Outstanding MBA/JD Graduate Student
  • Who’s Who of American Students, 2007-2008 & 2008-2009
  • Member, Phi Kappa Phi, 2009-Present
  • Member, Beta Gamma Sigma, 2009-Present
  • Honor Roll or Distinguished Honor Roll, Fall 2005-Spring 2009

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • Member, San Diego County Bar Association, 2007 – Present
  • Member, American Bar Association, 2007 – Present
  • Member, Italian American Lawyers Association, 2010 – Present
  • Member, UNICO-San Diego, Italian American Association, 2010 – Present
  • Pupil, Wallace Inn of Court 2008-2009

Past Legal Positions:

  • Associate Attorney, Berman & Riedel, LLP, 2010 - Present
  • Associate Attorney, Law Offices of Suzy C. Moore, 2009-2010
  • Judicial Extern, Honorable Judith L. Haller, Associate Justice, Fall 2008
  • Judicial Extern, Honorable Leo S. Papas, Magistrate Judge, Summer 2008
Joel Morgan, Esquire

Joel Morgan, Esquire

Associate Attorney
Berman & Riedel, LLP
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 350-9855
e-mail:

Joel Morgan joined Berman & Riedel, LLP as an Associate Attorney in early 2010, bringing a strong litigation background and valuable insight into insurance company practices through his prior legal experience in defending complex medical malpractice and personal injury lawsuits.   Prior to starting his professional career, Mr. Morgan attended the University of San Diego School of Law where he served as the Vice-Chairman of the Appellate Moot Court Executive Board, as a member of the USD National Mock Trial Team, and as a member of the Upper Division Representative for the Student Bar Association.   

Prior to law school, Mr. Morgan served in the U.S. Army as a Captain in the Medical Service Corps.  After leading an ambulance platoon stationed in Germany, Mr. Morgan deployed on successive tours to Kosovo and Iraq as a medical personnel officer.  During his time in the military, Mr. Morgan earned numerous decorations including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Airborne Badge, and the Expert Field Medical Badge. He now uses the knowledge he learned as both an Army officer and a civil defense attorney to vigorously represent individuals who have suffered harm due to the negligent, harmful and wrongful conduct of others.

Mr. Morgan enjoys spending his time outside the office with his wife, Johanna, and their two yellow labs, Kippie and Daisie.  His interests include golf, running, travel and going to the beach.  He is an avid fan of both USC football and the San Diego Chargers. 

Bar Admissions:

  • California State Bar
  • United States District Court, Southern District of California

Formal Education:

  • University of San Diego School of Law, May 2008, Juris Doctor
  • University of Southern California, May 2000, Bachelor of Science, Environmental Studies: Biology / Pre-Med

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • Member, San Diego County Bar Association, 2005 - Present
  • Member, Military Officers Association of America, 2004 - Present
  • Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 2003 - Present

Past Legal Positions:

  • Associate Attorney, Berman & Riedel, LLP, 2010 - Present
  • Associate Attorney, DiCaro, Coppo & Popcke, LLP, 2008 – 2010
  • Summer Associate, Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman, LLP, 2007
  • Legal Intern, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2006

Military Experience:

  • Captain, United States Army, Baghdad, Iraq, 2003 – 2004
  • Lieutenant, United States Army, Kosovo and Germany, 2000 - 2003
Harlan Zaback, Esquire

Harlan Zaback, Esquire

Associate Attorney
Berman & Riedel, LLP
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 350-9855
e-mail:

Harlan Zaback was born and raised in Caldwell, New Jersey, a suburban town twenty miles west of New York City. Mr. Zaback attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, graduating with a degree in History and minor in Political Science.  After graduating from Rutgers, Mr. Zaback worked briefly in education, specifically as a teacher’s aide working one-on-one with non-verbal autistic children and with children who suffered from severe behavioral issues, before deciding to pursue a legal degree so he could better assist individuals with the most need for assistance in exercising their legal rights. This desire brought him to San Diego where he attended law school at California Western School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree.

Both while attending law school at CWSLand as a post-bar law clerk, Mr. Zaback worked at Berman & Riedel, LLP, where he gained invaluable knowledge and experience into the firm's concentrated practice by assisting the firm’s senior attorneys in various areas of civil litigation, particularly in personal injury and elder abuse and neglect related matters. Mr. Zaback thrived in his position and was hired as an Associate Attorney at Berman & Riedel, LLP, shortly after being admitted to the California State Bar in December 2009.  Mr. Zaback now uses his knowledge, skills and experience to help the firm continue its reputation as being a leader in providing clients with successful representation in recovering damages as a result of the negligent, reckless and/or wrongful conduct of others. 

In addition to assisting clients of the firm, Mr. Zaback is an active member of his Condominium Association’s Board of Directors where he serves both as the Association’s treasurer as well as in the capacity as legal liaison to the Association’s independently retained law firm.  In his free time Mr. Zaback enjoys running, hiking, playing golf, and fulfilling his interests for geography and history by traveling as much as he can. He is an avid fan of the New York Yankees and the San Diego Chargers.

Bar Admissions:

  • California State Bar, December 2009
  • United States District Court, Southern District of California

Formal Education:

  • California Western School of Law, J.D., 2009
  • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, B.A. in History, 2005

Areas of Practice/Focus:

  • Serious Personal Injury
  • Wrongful Death
  • Elder Abuse and Neglect

Memberships:

  • San Diego County Bar Association
  • Board of Directors for the Park View Condominium Association, Treasurer

Past Legal Experience:

  • Associate Attorney, Berman & Riedel, LLP, 2010 - present.
  • Law Clerk/Post-Bar Law Clerk, Berman & Riedel, LLP, 2009
  • Law Clerk, Office of General Counsel, San Diego Unified School District, 2008
  • Judicial Intern, United States Magistrate Judge, Honorable Frank Maas, United States District Court, Southern District of New York, 2007

Rita R. Cole

Berman & Riedel, LLP
Certified Paralegal
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 950-9855

Rita R. Cole is a certified paralegal and administrator with the firm, Berman & Riedel, LLP. Rita has been with the firm since 1999, and has worked in the legal field as a paralegal in the areas of elder abuse, personal injury, construction defect, and family and employment law since 1991. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology/Criminal Justice from Washington State University and received her paralegal certificate from University of California San Diego.

Valerie C. Ramirez - Certified Paralegal

Valerie C. Ramirez

Berman & Riedel, LLP
Certified Paralegal
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 350-9855
e-mail:

Valerie C. Ramirez is a 2005 graduate of the University of San Diego where she received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Speech Communication Studies. In 2006 she went on to complete the University of San Diego's Paralegal Program with a focus in civil litigation.

Valerie joined Berman & Riedel, LLP, as a civil litigation paralegal in August 2006. Since she joined the firm, she has gained a great deal of knowledge about the legal field, especially in personal injury and elder abuse related law. In her current position, Valerie handles case management issues for nearly every case the firm undertakes and assists our San Diego personal injury attorneys in completing discovery, motion-work, court-filings, calendaring, records requests, and new client intakes. Valerie enjoys the fact that her position at the firm allows her to work with clients directly from the initial client meeting up through trial in some cases. An active member of the firm, Valerie helps to keep clients informed of hearing dates, assists clients with responding to discovery, and updates clients on developments surrounding their cases. Valerie enjoys the relationships she is able to maintain and create with clients, and believes that they feel comfortable contacting her at any time.

Valerie enjoys staying active and takes pleasure in running, swimming, and golfing. She is a sports enthusiast, and likes attending local as well as out-of-town professional sporting events. She also enjoys cooking and entertaining for her friends.

Yvonne L. Sanchez - Legal Assistant

Yvonne L. Sanchez

Berman & Riedel, LLP
Legal Assistant
San Diego, California
ph (858) 350-8855
fax (858) 350-9855
personal e-mail:

Yvonne L. Sanchez is currently a student at the University of San Diego where she is completing the Paralegal Program with an emphasis in Civil Litigation. Yvonne received an Associates of Arts degree from Cuesta College in Liberal Arts as well as an Aesthetician License from The San Francisco Institute of Esthetics.

Yvonne originally joined our team of San Diego accident lawyers Berman & Riedel, LLP, as a receptionist in August of 2007, but was quickly promoted into a position as a legal assistant. Since joining the firm, she has gained valuable experience and knowledge in the legal field, with a particular emphasis in the areas of handling elder abuse/neglect and serious personal injury matters. In her current position as a legal assistant, Yvonne handles case management issues for every case the firm undertakes. Soon to receive her advanced degree, she looks forward to continuing her career in the legal field as a certified paralegal.

Yvonne enjoys staying active in her community by attending various art, music, sporting and cultural events in San Diego.

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