San Luis Obispo, CA

Jacqueline Frederick

Jacqueline Vitti Frederick is a seasoned attorney with over 40 years of legal experience. She graduated from San Fernando Valley College of Law/University of LaVerne in 1980, where she was in the top ten percent of her class. She founded her own law firm in 1984 and has successfully represented clients in complex torts, personal injuries, wrongful deaths, and various other legal areas. She is fluent in English and Spanish and serves as a neutral mediator, arbitrator, and judge pro-tem.

Steven P. Roberts

Steven P. Roberts is a founding partner at Roberts & Spiegel LLP, admitted to the California State Bar in 1999. He studied economics and philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and graduated magna cum laude from California State University, Humboldt. He obtained his juris doctorate from Willamette University and served as a senior law clerk for the United States Attorney's Office, District of Oregon. He is admitted to practice in California state and Federal courts and is a member of the California State Bar, San Luis Obispo County Bar Association, and Consumer Attorneys of California.

Don Ernst

Don Ernst is a trial lawyer that believes in Justice with a capital “J.” With more than 100 cases tried to verdict and a past president of the Trial Lawyers in California, Don Ernst is recognized throughout the state as one of the best. Whether the trial goes for five days or six months, Don Ernst has results that are recognized throughout the state. Don has built the Ernst Law Group as a trial firm designed to do one thing: Tell the story of the client the way it is meant to be told. Clients of the Ernst Law Group have been harmed, wronged or defrauded. Don listens to their story and pledges the firm’s resources behind to tell the client’s story and truth to the world. Don Ernst loves cases that have an underdog component. While this mentality began in personal injury cases, it has evolved into catastrophic personal injury cases, class actions against insurance and mortgage companies, and now even goes to the most basic human rights, like making sure there is clean water to drink. One example of a case Don tried was a class action in 2010 that was divided into three trials. Class actions rarely go to court due to the risk and expenses involved. Don Ernst never flinched. After the first section of trial in front of a San Diego judge, the judge ruled in favor the Ernst Law Group. The entire case settled in the following weeks for a large eight-figure result. Don’s passion for changing the way things are done is what led the Ernst Law Group into helping change laws throughout the state. He helped write the California Electronic Discovery Act. He also contributed to the changing the rules in California to allow for telephonic appearances, the rules on selling annuities to the elderly, and classifications of annuities and language related to the sale of annuities.

Jude Basile

Jude Basile is a nationally recognized trial lawyer with over 40 years of experience, specializing in serious injury and wrongful death cases. He has achieved numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements, including a record-setting $150 million wrongful death jury verdict in California. He is a member of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of the top 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in the United States. Jude has been recognized multiple times as 'Trial Lawyer of the Year' by various organizations and is known for his unique trial preparation methods and client-focused approach.

Jeffrey D. Stulberg

Jeffrey D. Stulberg is a California native attorney with over 30 years of legal experience in San Luis Obispo County. He is a a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Law, where he also completed his undergraduate studies in Psychology and Philosophy. A member in good standing with the State Bar of California, he holds a 5/5 Star Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Stulberg has litigated over 1,000 cases across personal injury, professional malpractice, employment law, product liability, and criminal defense, providing aggressive, experienced, and ethical representation to his clients.

Darin Spiegel

Darin K. Spiegel is a partner at Roberts & Spiegel LLP, born and raised in San Luis Obispo. He studied Political Science at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and earned his juris doctorate from the University of LaVerne College of Law. Admitted to the California State Bar in 2009, he previously specialized in personal injury and expanded his practice to Estate Planning, Probate, and Landlord Tenant law before joining Roberts & Spiegel LLP in 2015. He is admitted to practice in California state and Federal courts and is a member of the California State Bar and the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association.

Evan Garcia

Evan Garcia is a Trial Attorney at Silva Injury Law, focusing on trucking and catastrophic injury cases, including mass-casualty events. He has helped recover more than $86 million in verdicts and settlements as lead and as trial counsel, including multimillion-dollar jury verdicts; most recently a $5.47M result in a disputed orthopedic case in San Joaquin County. He is licensed in California, Texas, and Arizona and regularly appears pro hac vice nationwide. Evan began his career defending Fortune 1000 companies in tax litigation, sharpening his skills in complex damages. He earned his law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, serving on the Moot Court board and competing in national competitions. During law school, he clerked for Chief Judge Marvin Isgur (S.D. Tex.) and the Fort Bend County DA’s Office. He holds a Finance and Real Estate degree from the University of the Pacific, where he also played Division I water polo. What drives Evan is simple: real people who need an advocate. He believes great trial work blends preparation, storytelling, and compassion-and that collaboration with referring counsel makes tough cases stronger. Recognized by Super Lawyers and nominated for OCTLA’s Young Gun award, Evan also speaks nationally on trial strategy, AI in litigation, and chronic pain in injury cases. He believes great trial work blends preparation, storytelling and compassion. Outside the courtroom, Evan enjoys coaching youth sports, playing chess, and time with his wife and three children.