Wikipedia

The Schenk Law Firm, LLP

The Schenk Law Firm, LLP is a comprehensive litigation and transactional law firm based in San Diego, California, founded in February 2025 by trial attorney Frederick ("Fred") Schenk, former U.S. Representative Lynn Schenk, and attorney Benjamin Schenk.[1][2] The firm's practice areas include personal injury, mass tort litigation, AI and digital tort related litigation, civil rights, environmental law, and business advisory services.[3] In February 2026, the firm merged with Lizerbram Law, APC, adding transactional and intellectual property capabilities to create a full-service legal platform.[3][4]

The Schenk Law Firm, LLP
HeadquartersSan Diego, California, United States
Major practice areasPersonal injury, mass tort litigation, AI and digital tort litigation, civil rights, environmental law, business advisory
Key peopleFrederick Schenk (Founding Managing Partner)
Lynn Schenk (Co-founder)
Benjamin Schenk (Co-founder)
David Lizerbram (Partner)
Date foundedFebruary 2025

History

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The Schenk Law Firm launched in February 2025, combining trial-law expertise, public-sector leadership, and financial experience.[2][1][5] Fred Schenk, who spent approximately 40 years as a partner at Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield, LLP, is the firm's founding managing partner.[1][2] Lynn Schenk, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and as chief of staff to California Governor Gray Davis, joined as co-founder.[6][7] Benjamin Schenk, a trial attorney and Bridgewater Associates alumnus, joined as co-founder.[1][3]

In February 2026, the firm finalized a merger with Lizerbram Law, APC. David Lizerbram joined as partner to lead transactional and business advisory work, making the combined practice one of the few plaintiff litigation firms with an integrated business law component.[3][4]

Practice areas and representative matters

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AI chatbot mental-health harm litigation

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In January 2026, the firm filed DeCruise v. OpenAI, Inc. in California Superior Court on behalf of a Morehouse College student who alleged that interactions with ChatGPT's GPT-4o model caused severe psychiatric harm, including a psychosis diagnosis and hospitalization.[8][9]

Attorney Benjamin Schenk stated that OpenAI "engineered GPT-4o to simulate emotional intimacy, foster psychological dependency, and blur the line between human and machine."[9] The firm has positioned itself as "AI injury attorneys" and is investigating additional AI-related mental health claims nationwide.[10][8]

Personal injury and wrongful death

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The firm's personal injury practice focuses on significant injury cases and wrongful death claims, including matters involving asbestos-related harm, automobile and bicycle collisions, construction negligence, and traumatic brain injury.[1][2] Fred Schenk obtained the largest verdict ever in San Diego against an asbestos manufacturer, Owens Corning Fiberglass.[11][12]

Tobacco litigation

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In the 1990s, Fred Schenk served as a personal legal advisor to then-Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis in a private attorney general action against tobacco companies that resulted in the recovery of billions of dollars for the State of California.[13] The broader 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between tobacco companies and U.S. states resulted in payments of hundreds of billions of dollars.[14]

NFL concussion multidistrict litigation

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In 2012, U.S. District Judge Anita Brody appointed Fred Schenk to the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee overseeing the national multidistrict litigation (MDL) against the National Football League (NFL), alleging that repeated concussions can result in long-term brain injuries including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).[15]

Social media youth addiction litigation

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In 2023, Los Angeles Superior Court judge Carolyn Kuhl appointed Fred Schenk to the plaintiffs' steering committee in the California Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings (JCCP) involving litigation over alleged harms tied to youth social media addiction. The proceedings involve claims against several major social media companies, including Meta Platforms, Inc., YouTube, LLC, TikTok Inc., and Snap Inc.[16]

Leadership

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Frederick ("Fred") Schenk — Founding Managing Partner

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Frederick Schenk graduated from UCLA (B.A., 1975) and the University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 1978), where he serves on the Board of Visitors.[11] In 2004, he provided pro bono representation through Trial Lawyers Care—the largest pro bono effort in American legal history—on behalf of a family that lost a loved one in the September 11 attacks, obtaining a seven-figure resolution for which he accepted no fee.[11][12] He served as president of the Civil Justice Foundation (2005–2006)[17] and president of the San Diego chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2021.[18][19]

Schenk has served for approximately 15 years on the board of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, the California state institution that governs the Del Mar Fairgrounds, serving as board chair from 2013 to 2015 and again from 2023 to 2025.[20][21] He was inducted into the Lawdragon Hall of Fame,[22] received the 2024 USD Distinguished Alumni Award,[23] and was named one of San Diego's Top 50 Most Influential by the San Diego Daily Transcript.[24]

Lynn Schenk — Co-founder

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Lynn Schenk is a co-founder of the firm and a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California's 49th congressional district from 1993 to 1995.[6] She subsequently served as chief of staff to California Governor Gray Davis and was previously a member of the board of directors for Biogen Inc. and Sempra Energy.[7]

Benjamin Schenk — Co-founder

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Benjamin Schenk graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College (A.B. in Government) and holds a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law (2020).[25] He serves on the USD School of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors and on the boards of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center and the Burn Institute.[25] He has been quoted on AI-related legal issues by Ars Technica and Mashable[9][10] and on teen sports betting addiction by the New York Post.[26]

David Lizerbram — Partner

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David Lizerbram joined the firm as partner in February 2026 following the merger with Lizerbram Law, APC. He leads the firm's transactional and business advisory practice.[3][4] Lizerbram has presented annually at San Diego Comic-Con since 2008 as part of the Comic Book Law School® panel series on intellectual property law,[27][28] and was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the Board of Directors of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, which oversees the Del Mar Fairgrounds, serving from 2011 to 2015.[29][30]

Recognition

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The firm is ranked by Best Law Firms (Best Lawyers) in San Diego for mass tort litigation and class actions on the plaintiffs' side, and is also listed in the Super Lawyers directory for California.[31][32]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Siblings, After Decades of Legal Success, Join Forces to Launch Schenk Law Firm". Times of San Diego. 2025-02-07. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "New San Diego law firm blends political, trial, and financial expertise". Daily Journal. 2025-02-01. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Schenk, Lizerbram Merger Creates 'Unique' Full-Service Firm". San Diego Business Journal. 2026-02-01. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Schenk Law Firm Announces Merger with Lizerbram Law, Introducing Full-Service Legal Platform". citybiz. 2026-02-01. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  5. ↑ "Prominent San Diego Attorneys Join Together to Launch The Schenk Law Firm". citybiz. 2025-02-01. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  6. 1 2 "Lynn Schenk". History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  7. 1 2 "Trailblazer Lynn Schenk at 80: Former Congresswoman Still Makes Herstory". Times of San Diego. 2025-03-26. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  8. 1 2 "New California Lawsuits Against OpenAI Bring to 11 the Number of Claims Linking Chatbot to Mental Health Harms". The Recorder. 2026-01-26. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  9. 1 2 3 Farivar, Cyrus (2026-02-01). "Before psychosis, ChatGPT told man he was an oracle, new lawsuit alleges". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  10. 1 2 "AI injury attorneys sue ChatGPT in another AI psychosis case". Mashable. 2026-02-01. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  11. 1 2 3 "USD School of Law Board of Visitors Member Frederick Schenk '78 (JD) Inducted Into Lawdragon 2022 Hall of Fame". University of San Diego. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  12. 1 2 "Frederick Schenk". The National Trial Lawyers. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  13. ↑ "Frederick Schenk". Consumer Attorneys of San Diego. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  14. ↑ "Master Settlement Agreement". Office of the Attorney General, State of California. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  15. ↑ "Casey Gerry to Serve on Steering Committee Overseeing Litigation Against NFL". PRLog. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  16. ↑ "USD School of Law Board of Visitors Member Frederick Schenk '78 (JD) Appointed to Social Media Steering Committee". University of San Diego. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  17. ↑ "Veteran San Diego Attorney Frederick Schenk Named President of Civil Justice Foundation". Casey Gerry. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  18. ↑ "USD School of Law Alumnus Frederick Schenk '78 (JD) Elected President of the San Diego Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates". University of San Diego. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  19. ↑ "CaseyGerry Partner Elected to Lead ABOTA". Casey Gerry. 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  20. ↑ "Board of Directors". Del Mar Fairgrounds (22nd District Agricultural Association). Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  21. ↑ "USD School of Law Alumnus Frederick Schenk '78 (JD) Named Del Mar Fairgrounds Board President". University of San Diego. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  22. ↑ "Lawdragon Hall of Fame". Lawdragon. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  23. ↑ "2024 Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony & Luncheon". University of San Diego. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  24. ↑ "CaseyGerry Partner Named one of San Diego's Top 50 Influential Leaders". Casey Gerry. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  25. 1 2 "USD Law Alumni Board Member Benjamin Schenk '20 (JD) Elected to Board of Lawrence Family JCC". University of San Diego. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  26. ↑ "NYC-area boys using bar mitzvah money to gamble as sports betting addiction on the rise with teens". New York Post. 2025-10-16. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  27. ↑ "San Diego Comic-Con 2024 – Comic Book Law School is Back!". Lovitz IP Law. 2024-07-23. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  28. ↑ "Speaking Appearances". David Lizerbram & Associates. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  29. ↑ "Governor Brown Announces Appointments". Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  30. ↑ "Mead Named to Fair Board". The Coast News Group. 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  31. ↑ "The Schenk Law Firm, LLP". Best Law Firms. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  32. ↑ "Schenk Law Firm". Super Lawyers. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
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