Managing Partner Gerald Singleton was recently mentioned in a Law360 Article referencing the 2025 Eaton Fire and the suit against Southern California Edison.
Plaintiffs suing Southern California Edison over the catastrophic January Eaton Fire accuse the utility of acting in bad faith by refusing to engage in meaningful mediation, even after acknowledging in SEC filings that its equipment likely caused the blaze. The consolidated lawsuits, stemming from Edison’s alleged failure to manage flammable vegetation and to de-energize power lines despite red flag warnings, seek accountability for a fire that killed at least 19 people and damaged more than 9,000 structures.
Attorneys for the individual plaintiffs, including Managing Partner Gerald Singleton, say Edison is delaying litigation while pressuring survivors to accept heavily discounted settlements through a compensation program that allows the utility to set low payouts and threatens claimants with investigations for alleged false statements. Plaintiffs further allege that Edison has violated court rules by contacting represented individuals through so-called community “workshops,” behavior they describe as coercive and misleading.
Edison denies the accusations, arguing that mediation is premature, it has not conceded liability, and its recovery program is voluntary and designed with expert input. The utility maintains that investigations and the identification of additional responsible parties must be completed before settlement discussions proceed. Plaintiffs’ counsel, including firms from Singleton Schreiber, Panish Shea Ravipudi, Corey Luzaich de Ghetaldi & Riddle, and others say they will push the case to trial to obtain full and fair compensation and to ensure Edison is held accountable for preventing future disasters.
