Ruth L. Stallknecht 

Ruth L. Stallknecht graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned the degree of Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1977. She graduated from Hastings College of Law, University of California, where she earned the degree of Juris Doctor in 1980. 

Ms. Stallknecht has been a member of the California State Bar since 1980 and has been admitted to practice before the United States District Court, Northern District. In 1981 she began specializing in workers' compensation defense with the Law Firm of Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel, Inc. She has been a principal of Haworth, Bradshaw, Stallknecht & Barber, Inc. since January 1, 1988. 

Ms. Stallknecht is a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association and was a co-chairperson of the Workers’ Compensation Section in 1986 and 1987. She served on the Board of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Sacramento County Bar from 1995-1998. She has also been Chairperson of the Education Committee of the Sacramento County Bar Association from 1998-2000. She was the President of the CWCDAA in 2001-2002, as well as President of the NCWCDAA in 2006. 

Clark Barber 

Clark Barber graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and philosophy. He attended Lincoln University School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1979. He has been a certified specialist in workers' compensation since 1985. He joined the Firm in 1990 as a principal and is currently managing the Salinas office. 

Mr. Barber is a certified specialist in workers' compensation, is an appointed pro tempore judge, certified self-insurance administrator, and on the statewide list of arbitrators for workers' compensation litigation. 

Robert T. deKelaita 

Robert T. deKelaita graduated from San Francisco State University in 1974. He obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the Lincoln University School of Law in 1979. He specialized in workers' compensation defense after joining the Bar in 1979. In December 1990, he joined the Sacramento office of the Firm and is now a principal of the Firm. He has served in community organizations and as a member of the Granite Bay Municipal Advisory Council for Placer County. Mr. deKelaita is listed in the 2006 edition of The United Who's Who Registry and in the 2008 Northern California Super Lawyers publication. Mr. deKelaita is a certified specialist in workers’ compensation law. 

Casey W. Norris 

Casey W. Norris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983, with honors, and a Master's degree in State Politics and Policy in 1984, both from the University of California at Davis. While at McGeorge School of Law, he received various scholastic awards and was on the Dean's Honor List from 1986 through 1990.  In 1990, he received his Juris Doctor degree, with distinction, from McGeorge School of Law, graduating in the top 13% of his class. He joined the Firm in 1990 and is a member of the California State Bar and the Traynor Award Honor Society. Before attending law school, he worked for the California State legislature and for the U.S. Department of Defense. Mr. Norris is admitted to practice before all courts under the jurisdiction of California and the Eastern and Northern Districts of California, U.S. Federal Court, and is licensed to teach at the junior college level. You will find Mr. Norris listed in the 2008 publication of Northern California Super Lawyers.  Mr. Norris is a certified specialist in workers' compensation law and a principal of the Firm, in our Sacramento office. He currently serves as CEO of the Firm. 

Peter A. Viano 

Peter A Viano is a principal of the Firm and practices in the San Jose office. He graduated from San Jose State University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree with Great Distinction. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1990. At Santa Clara, he was an Emory Law Scholar and a member of the Santa Clara Law Review. After graduating, he was a Deputy District Attorney for Santa Clara County, prosecuting a variety of criminal offenses. He joined the Firm in 1992 and practices subrogation, workers' compensation, and civil litigation in state and federal courts. You will find Mr. Viano listed in the 2008 publication of Northern California Super Lawyers.  Mr. Viano is an appointed pro tempore judge and certified specialist in workers’ compensation. He currently serves as the CFO of the Firm. 

Linda B. Williams 

Linda B. Williams graduated from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Human Resources Management. From 1991 through 1992, she served as a full-time judicial extern for Magistrate Judge Patricia Trumbull in U. S. District Court, Northern District of California. She graduated cum laude from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1992 and began working for the Firm in November 1992. She is a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association and is a principal of the Firm, in our San Jose office. She is an appointed pro tempore judge and currently serves as the managing attorney for the San Jose office. 

Gregory M. Pshide 

Greg Pshide graduated from Whitman College in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics. After graduation, he was employed by Household Credit Services as a Senior Fraud Investigator in the credit card division.  He graduated from McGeorge School of Law, where he earned the degree of Juris Doctor in 1998. Before joining the Firm in 1999, Mr. Pshide interned with the California Attorney General's office in the Department of Writs and Appeals. He is admitted to practice before all courts under the jurisdiction of California and the Eastern District of California U.S. Federal Court. Mr. Pshide is a principal of the Firm and currently manages the Firm's Sacramento office. He also currently serves as the Corporate Secretary of the Firm.

Darla L. Bava  

Darla L. Bava graduated on the dean's list from Modesto Junior College in 1992 with an Associate of Arts degree. She obtained a Juris Doctor degree in 1997 from Humphrey’s School of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of California and is licensed to practice before the Eastern District Court of California and the Northern District Court of California. Since 1997, Ms. Bava has practiced civil litigation and workers' compensation. Ms. Bava is a principal of the Firm, in our Salinas office.

Patricia J. Wang 

Patricia J. Wang is an associate in our San Jose office. She is a 1993 graduate of the University of California, Irvine, with degrees in political science and psychology. Ms. Wang then obtained her Juris Doctor degree from Golden Gate University School of Law in 1997. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 1997 and is a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Section. Patricia joined the Firm in July 2001. 

Gia K. Schneider 

Gia K. Schneider received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1993 and her Juris Doctor Degree from Boston University School of Law. She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the State of California, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Before attending law school, Ms. Schneider worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor in Northern and Southern California. Ms. Schneider is a member of the State Bar of California, Santa Clara County Bar Association/Workers’ Compensation Division, Bar Association of San Francisco, and South Bay Industrial Claims Association. Ms. Schneider served as the Defense Co-Chair of the Santa Clara County Bar Association/Workers’ Compensation Division from November of 2002 through November of 2003. She is an associate in our San Jose office. 

Christopher E. Martin 

Chris Martin graduated from California State University, Sacramento, in 1994, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Communications. He also graduated from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento, where he earned the degree of Juris Doctor in 1999. Prior to joining the firm, he was employed by the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office and James International Law, Inc. He has also served as a Deputy District Attorney in the Amador County District Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted workers’ compensation and insurance fraud cases. He is active in the United States Air Force Reserves, where he served in Operation Desert Shield and in the Persian Gulf War. He is a member of the State Bar of California and is licensed to practice before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California and is an associate in our Sacramento office. 

Paula A. Montgomery

Paula A. Montgomery graduated cum laude from California State University at Bakersfield in 1992 where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She earned her Juris Doctor in 1995 from California Pacific School of Law and previously practiced Insurance Defense and Business Law before moving to Salinas.  She has worked in the areas of workers’ compensation and subrogation for eight years and has recently joined the Firm in Salinas. Ms. Montgomery is licensed in the Eastern and Northern Districts of California. She has been active in the organizations of PARMA and CAJAPA for many years. 

C. Gordon Taylor (Retired) 

C. Gordon Taylor graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelor's degree in 1956. He obtained his law degree in 1959 from Boalt Hall and began practice as a Deputy Attorney General in 1960. In 1961, he began private practice, specializing in the defense of California workers' compensation cases and related matters. He was appointed as Chairman of the California Workers' Compensation Appeals Board and served as Chairman from January 1984 until November 30, 1988, when he left State service. He re-entered the private practice of law as a principal of the Firm on January 1, 1989. Mr. Taylor is a past president of the Northern California Compensation Defense Attorney's Association and is a past president of the Western Association of Workers' Compensation Boards. Mr. Taylor's lengthy experience as a defense attorney and as Chairman of the Appeals Board has provided him and the Firm with a unique understanding of the litigation process, rules, and cases that apply to California workers' compensation.