As a young lawyer Brett began to distinguish himself as one of the next generations of legal leaders. In his second year of practice, he tried his first serious injury case to verdict and in only his fourth year of practice earned recognition as one of San Diego’s Top Attorneys, perhaps the youngest person to do so. He then proceeded to serve as the youngest President in the history of Consumer Attorneys of San Diego (CASD) and continues to serve on the CASD Foundation Board. Brett also sits in leadership on the Board of Governors for Consumer Attorneys of California.
Despite having received numerous million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements, as well as regularly being honored with awards and accolades, Brett’s proudest moments are often found outside of the courtroom or an award ceremony. Whether lecturing student groups on the personal rewards of the legal profession, doing teach-ins in low-income schools, or handling pro bono claims for wrongfully convicted denied compensation after their release from prison, Brett is guided by the Hebrew principle of tikkun olam meaning “to heal the world”.
Brett moved to San Diego from Florida where he graduated cum laude from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. While in law school, Brett not only managed to gain invaluable real-world experience, he also found time to be a prominent student leader as well as member and competition on the school’s Law Review and moot court teams.
Brett’s legal background spans the halls of the legislature to the courthouse steps. As a legislative intern in the Florida Senate and later a lobbyist, Brett first learned the ins and outs of the legal process from the legislative perspective. Whether it was monitoring committee meetings, honing his negotiating skills outside the Capitol rotunda, or advising municipal and corporate clients about the impact of pending legislation, Brett put to use every aspect of the legal process, an experience that would prove invaluable to him as a trial lawyer.
Brett brings diverse knowledge and experience to his practice. He clerked for several years with a boutique South Florida law firm specializing in criminal defense, civil litigation, and family law. Brett then worked as an intern in the Major Crimes division of the San Diego Public Defenders office in order to gain experience in criminal defense. Brett then clerked with a small appellate practice where he was tasked with filing appeals to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and writs of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.
Before founding Singleton Schreiber McKenzie & Scott, Brett spent nearly 15 years working as an associate and later partner for a prominent San Diego plaintiff’s firm Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire.
Brett feels right at home with a balance of serious injury, medical malpractice, and complex litigation. He is admitted to practice in all California courts, and the Southern and Central Districts of California, as well as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a proud member of Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, Attorneys Information Exchange Group, and American Association of Justice.
Brett and his wife Shayna, a clinical psychologist, live in Ocean Beach with their four young children. They enjoy surfing, yoga, tennis, family outings that always include their golden retriever, Roshi.
