Our team
Our founders and associated counsel now share more than seventy years of experience and have well over one hundred jury trials, bench trials, binding arbitrations, and mediations between them.
Our founders and associated counsel now share more than fifty years of experience and have well over one hundred jury trials, bench trials, binding arbitrations, and mediations between them.
We have two founders and partners: David Schneider and Michael Branch. Each of them provides our clients with their own personal, hands-on, and start-to-finish representation in every one of our cases.
On certain cases, when the client will benefit, our partners may also be assisted by an excellent former partner lawyer who is Of Counsel to our firm.
We believe in serving our clients as a small but highly sophisticated litigation law firm, with just one partner personally responsible for every detail of each case. We think this is the most responsive, efficient, and cost-effective option for resolving complex legal disputes today.
If you believe our expertise could be appropriate for your case, we will be honored to meet with you so we may decide together if we are the right law firm to provide you with determined, resourceful, and ethical legal representation.
David Schneider
About David
David Schneider earned his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Texas in Austin, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He began his law practice in San Diego in 1988 at Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps — which merged with McKenna Long & Aldridge, and later Dentons. In 1994 he founded Yunker & Schneider, an AV-rated boutique litigation firm.
David has tried dozens of cases to judges and juries. He tries to “cut to the chase” to resolve cases as efficiently and quickly as possible. If David’s style fits your case, he could be an excellent lawyer for you.
Direct Dial: (619) 233-5562
Email: dks@schneiderbranchlaw.com
Experience
2017-Present
AV-rated name partner with Schneider & Branch. Practice specialized in business litigation, general contract disputes, real estate disputes, personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability, and construction defect litigation.
1994-2017
AV-rated name partner with Yunker & Schneider.
1988-1994
Senior Associate in trial department of 150+ lawyer San Diego firm of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps. Practice specialized in business litigation, product liability, premises liability, and personal injury matters.
Education
University of Texas (1988)
School of Law: Juris Doctor
Teaching Assistant: Business Law 1987-1988
University of Texas (1985)
Bachelor of Arts, Government Honors Program
Graduated with: High Honors, Phi Beta Kappa (1985), Dean’s List (1981-1985)
Salzburg College (1984)
Salzburg, Austria
Recognition & Awards
- AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell annually since 1994
- Named “San Diego Super Lawyer” for business litigation annually since 2014.
- Named “San Diego Top Lawyer List” for corporate litigation annually since 2011.
- Named “Top 25 Lawyers in San Diego” for corporate litigation in 2011.
- San Diego Trial Lawyers Association – Outstanding Trial Award 1998.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
- ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates)
- American Trial Lawyers Association
- American Inns of Court – Enright Chapter (Master 2015-present), Welch Chapter (Barrister 1997-98), Enright Chapter (Associate 1992-93).
- Arbitrator – San Diego County Bar Association.
Michael Branch
About Michael
Michael Branch earned his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of California, Berkeley. During that time, he also earned a Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning. He began practicing law in 1990 with Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps, which merged with Mckenna Long & Aldridge and later Dentons. His practice is concentrated in business, construction and real estate litigation. He has significant experience in resolving legal matters by way of negotiating a settlement, arbitration or trial in the State of California Superior Courts and United States District Courts.
Clients comment often about his ability to identify and attack the case by focusing on key legal issues at critical times, rather than the shotgun blast approach. Michael collaborates with his partner to achieve proven results.
Direct Dial: (619) 702-0500
Email: mlb@schneiderbranchlaw.com
Experience
2017-Present
Name partner with Schneider & Branch. Practice specialized in prosecuting and defending business, commercial, real estate and personal injury litigation matters.
2002-2017
Law Office of Michael L. Branch/Yunker & Schneider. Practice specialized in prosecuting and defending business, commercial, real estate and personal injury litigation matters.
2000-2002
Mazzarella, Dunwoody & Caldarelli. Senior associate in trial department. Practice specialized in development and construction of high-rise name branded hotels within the City of San Diego and San Diego Unified Port District.
1990-2000
Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps. Practice specialized in business litigation, construction and real estate litigation, and product liability defense for Ford Motor Company and General Motors.
Education
University of California, Berkeley (1990)
School of Law: Juris Doctor.
University of California, Berkeley (1990)
Master’s Degree, City and Regional Planning.
University of California, Berkeley (1986)
Bachelor of Arts, English
Professional Activities & Affiliations
- American Inns of Court – Lewis M. Welsh Chapter
- San Diego County Bar Association
Spencer K. Schneider
About Spencer
Spencer K. Schneider earned his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth where he graduated first in his class. He began his practice working with tech startups, small businesses, and in the regulatory compliance department at the financial technology company, Brex.
Spencer has experience working with founders in the crypto and e-commerce spaces as well as a wide range of small business owners.
Direct Dial: (415) 494-9521
Email: sks@schneiderbranchlaw.com
Experience
2021-Present
Attorney at Schneider & Branch with a practice focused on business disputes, tech startups, and crypto.
2019-2020
Federal Judicial Externships with The Honerable Xavier Rodriguez and The Honerable Allison H. Goddard
Education
University of Massachusetts Law School
School of Law: Juris Doctor
Licensed in CA & MA
Graduated Valedictorian
University of Massachusetts
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
4.00 GPA, Summa Cum Laude
Professional Activities & Affiliations
- Law Review Editorial Board –Technology Editor
Torts & Constitutional Law – Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant
Publications
- Pepperdine J. of Business: Entrepreneurship & Law
Money, Power, and Radical Honesty: A Look at Members of Congress’ Use of Inside Information for Financial Gain - National Lawyers Guild Review: The Wheels on the Bus: The Statutory Schemes that Turn Traffic Tickets into Financial Crises
- International Journal of Procedural Law : Aristocrats’ Squabble Over Fortune Squandered on American Alchemy May Expose Swiss Bank to U.S. Jurisdiction
Contact us
Main office
Schneider & Branch
225 Broadway, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-233-5500
Fax: 619-233-5535
David Schneider
Phone: 619-233-5562
Email: dks@schneiderbranchlaw.com
Michael Branch
Phone: 619-702-0500
Email: mlb@schneiderbranchlaw.com
Spencer K. Schneider
Phone: 415-494-9521
Email: sks@schneiderbranchlaw.com