Stephen Demik

Stephen Demik is Senior Counsel with Singleton Schreiber’s Personal Injury, Mass Torts, and Civil Rights practices. Stephen is a committed trial attorney with extensive experience in criminal and civil litigation and a passion for social justice. He specializes in life-changing injuries, wrongful deaths, product liability, mass tort, and police misconduct cases. Committed to defending the voiceless and underrepresented, he ensures those harmed by negligence and misconduct have their voices heard in and out of the courtroom and works to hold wrongdoers accountable.

Stephen’s legal journey began in 2002 after earning his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Early in his legal career, he represented defendants on death row at San Quentin, where he developed a profound understanding of the criminal justice system. Over the years, Stephen transitioned into civil litigation, bringing his expertise in criminal defense into his current practice. His diverse legal experience includes representing several Guantánamo detainees, Native American activists, and communities affected by environmental harm.

Before joining Singleton Schreiber, Mr. Demik was the Managing Attorney of Litigation for a top firm in Texas. Before that, he ran his own law firm, where he first-chaired numerous federal felony jury trials and took on clients from all walks of life. He has litigated cases in many venues, from the Eighth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal to state and tribal courts to the American Arbitration Association. Stephen also served as a Tribal Law Judge for the Ogalala Lakota and Rosebud Sioux tribes. He has tried cases in state courts around the country, from California to Virginia, while practicing extensively in South Dakota and California. Stephen is skilled in handling mass torts, personal injury, asbestos, product liability, and civil rights cases.

Stephen’s work has earned him significant recognition, including the E. Stanley Conant Award for his dedication to protecting the rights of the indigent accused. He is a faculty member at the Trial Lawyers College, where he teaches trial communication techniques to fellow attorneys, and has authored multiple articles for legal publications. Stephen has also appeared in many periodicals, from the Daily Journal to the Rapid City Journal.

A native of Kingsport, Tennessee, Stephen grew up in a family deeply involved in community volunteering and activism. This upbringing led to him becoming a lawyer who helps people (especially those who need it the most) and instilled in him a strong sense of social responsibility, which he carries into his legal practice today.

In his spare time, Stephen enjoys spending time with his two children, traveling, drumming in cover bands, hiking, and volunteering. He is proficient in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Stephen remains dedicated to standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, and works tirelessly to ensure that justice is served for his clients.

Stephen is licensed to practice law in California and South Dakota, and before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ninth and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts for the Districts of North and South Dakota, as well as the Southern and Central Districts of California.

• E. Stanley Conant Award (2008)

Affiliations

• Trial Lawyers College Faculty

Membership

• American Association for Justice

News

• Multiple articles in "The Warrior", magazine- publication of the Trial Lawyers College
• "Jury Pools Short on Native Americans", Rapid City Journal, July 7, 2019
• "Lessons Learned at Guantanamo Bay Prison", Rapid City Journal, February 9, 2019