Who We Are
We have over 30 years combined experience specializing in mass disaster litigation
Ed Diab Founder
Ed Diab is a Founding Partner and leads the firm’s wildfire and mass disaster practice. His practice centers on the representation of public entities that sustained damages as a result of utility or third-party caused wildfires. Ed has recovered over $1.6 billion on behalf of his wildfire clients. In 2020, the Daily Journal awarded him the prestigious California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (“CLAY”) Award for the $360 million settlement recovered on behalf of 20 public entities represented by him that sustained damages in the 2017 Thomas Fire and Montecito Mudslides and the 2018 Woolsey Fire. In 2021, the Dixie Fire burned nearly 1 million acres in Northern California become the largest wildfire in California history and the second-largest wildfire overall. Ed was retained by all five affected counties to litigate the matter against PG&E and assist them in recovering taxpayer losses.
Ed’s public entity wildfire settlements and recoveries include:
- $28.5 million – 2015 Butte Fire
- $415 million – 2017 North Bay Fires
- $150 million – 2017 Thomas Fire & Montecito Mudslides
- $582 million – 2018 Camp Fire
- $210 million – 2018 Woolsey Fire
- $31 million – 2019 Kincade Fire
- $12.36 million – 2020 Zogg Fire
- $24 million – 2021 Dixie Fire
- $7.25 million – 2022 Mill Fire
In June 2019, Ed was part of the team that negotiated a historic $1 billion settlement on behalf of 14 public entities for taxpayer losses caused by the 2015 Butte Fire, 2017 North Bay Fires and 2018 Camp Fire. Representative clients included the County of Sonoma, County of Napa, County of Butte and the Town of Paradise that sustained severe damage as a result of fires alleged to have been caused by Pacific Gas & Electric Company.
Against Pacific Gas & Electric (“PG&E”), Mr. Diab was co-lead counsel for the Town of Paradise, Butte County, Sonoma County, Napa County, Shasta County, Tehama County, and the City of Santa Rosa, to name a few. Against Southern California Edison, Ed was co-lead counsel for Los Angeles County, City of Malibu, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, City of Westlake Village, and the City of Calabasas, to name a few. He was also retained by over 1,500 individuals and families that sustained damages to their homes, personal property and personal injuries from these fires.
In November 2019, the same team negotiated a $360 million settlement on behalf of 23 public entities for taxpayer losses caused by the 2017 Thomas Fire/Mudslides and 2018 Woolsey Fire. Representative clients included the County of Los Angeles, County of Ventura, County of Santa Barbara, City of Malibu that sustained severe fire damage and losses from mudslides that they alleged were caused by Southern California Edison. The team also currently represents hundreds of families that sustained damages to their properties as well. Ed was actively involved in the widely publicized lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric (“PG&E”) arising out of the 2010 San Bruno Gas Pipeline Explosion that leveled 38 homes, and unfortunately, killed 8 people. He represented numerous insurance carriers with property damage claims as a result of the 2013 Powerhouse Wildfire in Los Angeles that scorched more than 30,000 acres in Santa Clarita. He also represented over 100 individuals that sustained property damages in a lawsuit arising out of the Chariot Fire in 2013.
Ed also served on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee in the lawsuit against PG&E over the 2015 Butte Fire in Calaveras and Amador Counties that destroyed over 70,000 acres and hundreds of homes, outbuildings and other structures. He has extensive experience litigating gas explosion and wildfire claims in Montana, Washington and Texas. Because of the foregoing experience, Ed has had the honor of being personally appointed to several leadership positions including:
- Public Entity Plaintiffs Liaison Counsel, Fairview Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 5266 (2023) – Los Angeles Superior Court, Hon. Carolyn B. Kuhl
- Public Entity Plaintiffs Liaison Counsel, Mountain View Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 5228 (2022) - Los Angeles Superior Court, Hon. Kenneth R. Freeman
- Public Entity Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel, Dixie Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 5208 (2021) - San Francisco Superior Court, Hon. Curtis E.A. Karnow
- Plaintiffs Executive Committee, Woolsey Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 5000 (2019) - Los Angeles Superior Court, Hon. William F. Highberger (2019)
- Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel, Sharp Grossmont Hospital Hidden Camera Litigation - San Diego Superior Court, Hon. Ronald Styn (2019)
- Plaintiffs Executive Committee, California North Bay Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 4955 (2017) - San Francisco Superior Court, Hon. Curtis E.A. Karnow
- Plaintiffs Steering Committee, In re: Smith & Nephew Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2775 (2017) - United States District Court, District of Maryland, Hon. Catherine C. Blake
- Plaintiffs Executive Committee, Butte Fire Cases, California Judicial Council Coordinated Proceeding ("JCCP") No. 4853 (2016) - Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, Hon. Allen H. Sumner
- Discovery Committee Member, In re: Taxotere (Docetaxel) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2740 (2016) - United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Hon. Kurt D. Engelhardt
- Plaintiffs Steering Committee, In re: Fluoroquinolone Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2642 (2016) - United States District Court, District of Minnesota, Hon. John R. Tunheim
Ed received his undergraduate degree in Economics from University of California Davis, and his law degree from California Western School of Law.
Robert Chambers Founder
Rob Chambers has spent his entire career representing those who have suffered catastrophic injury and significant economic harm. A seasoned trial attorney, Rob has successfully litigated complex cases across the country involving personal injury and wrongful death, wildfires, business and intellectual property disputes, and product liability.
He is an accomplished wildfire litigator, having represented dozens of cities and counties in cases against utility companies, including PG&E and Southern California Edison, for fire-related damages to the public entities’ infrastructure. In addition, he has extensive experience representing thousands of individuals and businesses whose lives were devastated by utility-caused wildfires. To date, he has helped to recover more than $1.6 billion in settlements on behalf of his clients.
Rob has received numerous awards and accolades for his work on behalf of clients. He has been selected as a Super Lawyer every year since 2017 – a recognition reserved for only the top 5% of attorneys in California as determined by their peers. Super Lawyers also recognized him as a Rising Star in 2015 and 2016. He was named a San Diego Top Lawyer in Personal Injury by San Diego Magazine and is listed among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California by the National Trial Lawyers. In addition, he maintains the highest possible AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating by LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell® for his legal ability and high ethical standards.
Rob received his undergraduate degree in Sports Medicine from Pepperdine University, and his law degree from California Western School of Law.
Kristen Barton Partner
Kristen is a passionate advocate who has spent her career representing individuals in complex litigation across the country.
Before partnering with Diab Chambers in 2023, Kristen represented thousands of individuals who were harmed by institutional sexual abuse and/or assault. In 2020 she was appointed co-lead counsel in the Judicial Counsel Coordinated Proceeding, In re Lyft Rideshare Cases, JCCP No. 5061 by Judge Andrew Y.S. Cheng in San Francisco Superior Court where she represented hundreds of women who were sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver. Before this, Kristen’s practice focused on helping individuals in both state and federal courts across the country who were injured as a result of a medical device or pharmaceutical drug, or suffered a loss from a wildfire.
Kristen has been selected as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers every year since 2017. Selection to Rising Star is limited to the top 2.5% of lawyers in San Diego. She has also been listed among the Top 40 Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers every year since 2019.
Kristen received her undergraduate degree in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her law degree from California Western School of Law.
Kristen Henry Paralegal
Kristen Henry is an Executive Assistant/Paralegal to Ed Diab. Kristen is an integral part of the team working on cases relating to utility-caused fires and mass disaster litigation.
Kristen graduated from San Diego State University earning a bachelor’s degree in English and decided to further her education at Miramar College where she received her ABA Approved Paralegal Certificate in Legal Studies.
Shaye Conley Paralegal
Shaye is an Executive Assistant and Paralegal to Rob Chambers. Shaye graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and continued her education by obtaining her ABA Approved Paralegal Certificate from the University of San Diego.