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. 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. In February 2026, the firm merged with Lizerbram Law, APC, adding transactional and intellectual property capabilities to create a full-service legal platform.
History
The Schenk Law Firm launched in February 2025, combining trial-law expertise, public-sector leadership, and financial experience. 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. 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. Benjamin Schenk, a trial attorney and Bridgewater Associates alumnus, joined as co-founder.
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.
Practice areas and representative matters
AI chatbot mental-health harm litigation
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.
Attorney Benjamin Schenk stated that OpenAI "engineered GPT-4o to simulate emotional intimacy, foster psychological dependency, and blur the line between human and machine." The firm has positioned itself as "AI injury attorneys" and is investigating additional AI-related mental health claims nationwide.
Personal injury and wrongful death
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. Fred Schenk obtained the largest verdict ever in San Diego against an asbestos manufacturer, Owens Corning Fiberglass.
Tobacco litigation
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. The broader 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between tobacco companies and U.S. states resulted in payments of hundreds of billions of dollars.
NFL concussion multidistrict litigation
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).
Social media youth addiction litigation
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.
Leadership
Frederick ("Fred") Schenk — Founding Managing Partner
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. 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. He served as president of the Civil Justice Foundation (2005–2006) and president of the San Diego chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2021.
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. He was inducted into the Lawdragon Hall of Fame, received the 2024 USD Distinguished Alumni Award, and was named one of San Diego's Top 50 Most Influential by the San Diego Daily Transcript.
Lynn Schenk — Co-founder
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. 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.
Benjamin Schenk — Co-founder
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). 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. He has been quoted on AI-related legal issues by Ars Technica and Mashable and on teen sports betting addiction by the New York Post.
David Lizerbram — Partner
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. 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, 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.
Recognition
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.
References