Who We Are

Wyeth Burrows is one of the founding partners of Burrows & Stutsman. A California native, Wyeth grew up in Santa Barbara before heading north to Berkeley, where he obtained his undergraduate degree. He then headed back to his Southern California roots to attend law school at University of San Diego, School of Law. Since then, Wyeth has worked for several large insurance defense firms, developing a reputation for his innovative approach to handling his cases. In 2024, Wyeth decided to leave big law behind to form Burrows & Stutsman and ensure his ability to provide his clients with the defense they deserve.

In his 25 years of practice, Wyeth has proven to be one of the most formidable defense attorneys in California. His hard-hitting, strategic, and innovative approach to defending his clients has led to unparalleled results at all phases of litigation. Wyeth has defended clients in product liability, commercial, transportation and catastrophic matters in state and federal courts. He also represents common carriers and other clients in business disputes and litigation and provides rapid response handling of transportation accidents for both insurers and private fleet operators.

A devoted advocate for his clients, Wyeth works tirelessly to develop individualized defense strategies for each of his cases. His legal acumen combined with his dynamic personality and tenacity in the courtroom have led to an impressive string of trial success. Wyeth has successfully defended countless clients in multi-million-dollar catastrophic injury cases and excels at recovering their costs through post-trial motions.

Wyeth also regularly provides training for claims professionals across the country on the perils and intricacies of transportation litigation in California. He also consults, trains, and represents businesses regarding compliance with both the Federal and California Fair Debt Collection Practices Acts (FDCPA) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). He has successfully defended dozens of consumer lawsuits under these statutes.

Jasmine Contile is an associate at Burrows & Stutsman, specializing in complex civil litigation, with a focus on premises liability, insurance, transportation, and catastrophic injury cases.

Jasmine earned her J.D. from Willamette University College of Law, where she served as President of the Women’s Law Caucus and received the National Association of Women Lawyers Outstanding Law Student Award. Since beginning a full-time civil defense internship prior to graduation, Jasmine has developed her skills in all aspects of litigation, including drafting demurrers and motions for summary judgment, managing pre-trial discovery, engaging in settlement negotiations, and preparing for trial. 

Before law school, Jasmine attended Willamette University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Policy, Law, and Ethics. During her undergraduate studies, she achieved departmental honors and gained significant experience in drafting, analyzing, and submitting policy proposals before the Oregon State legislature. This background motivates and enables Jasmine to stay up to date on legislative changes that may impact her clients and their interests.

Cassandra Moser is an associate at Burrows & Stutsman. She is experienced in all facets of complex civil litigation in both state and federal courts.

Cassie earned her J.D. magna cum laude from California Western School of Law, where she served as the Executive Director of Notes and Comments for the California Western Law Review. The Arizona State Sports & Entertainment Law Journal published her student article note in the Fall of 2021. During law school, Cassie competed as a member of the school’s moot court team. She obtained academic excellence awards for her performance in Professional Responsibility, California Evidence, and Criminal Law. It was at this time that Cassie gained experience working as a Judicial Extern for Magistrate Judge Daniel E. Butcher in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Prior to law school, Cassie graduated cum laude from the University of Arizona. She earned her B.A. with a double major in Law and Political Science and a minor in Spanish. As an undergraduate, Cassie studied abroad, living with a family in Costa Rica while studying Spanish.

Helen Petrick is an associate at Burrows & Stutsman, where she focuses her practice on complex civil litigation matters, including premises liability, insurance, transportation, and catastrophic injury. Known for her empathetic approach, Helen is deeply committed to understanding her clients’ needs and advocating on their behalf. 

Helen earned her J.D. from California Western School of Law.  She has since been honing her craft as a skilled litigator, handling all aspects and phases of litigation including pre-litigation claims resolution, pre-trial discovery, motion practice, alternative dispute resolution, and trial. 

Prior to law school, Helen graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, earning her B.A. in Political Science and Government.

Patrick Raue serves as special counsel for Burrows & Stutsman.  He is a seasoned litigator who has over a decade of experience litigating a broad range of legal issues from general negligence, trucking, warranty, fraud, business torts, and product liability for clients in multiple jurisdictions.  Patrick is experienced handling all aspects of litigation, including counseling clients on litigation avoidance strategies, pre-filing negotiations, law and motion writing and argument, discovery, trials, and appeals. He has served as lead trial counsel in multiple jury trials in both California and Federal Court. Patrick also has experience in handling post-trial motions and appeals. Patrick strives to resolve every claim for his clients in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible, whether it’s negotiating settlements or seeing a case through trial. 

In his positions at both national and regional defense firms, Patrick has also served as a mentor and supervising Partner to dozens of young attorneys during his career.  He prides himself in being a valuable asset to firm culture and attorney/staff development.  

A San Diego native, Patrick received his J.D. from the University of San Diego, where he excelled in trial skills and oral advocacy, serving on the national mock trial team and being named to the trial team of the year in his 3L year.  

Steven Stutsman is one of the founding partners of Burrows & Stutsman. Originally from Northern California, Steve ventured across the country to attend Boston University, where he received his degree in political science, with a business minor. Longing to return to the west coast, Steve came back to California to attend law school at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. He began his legal career working at smaller civil defense firms before joining an AmLaw 150 defense firm, where his skills as a litigator really began to blossom. Steve eventually moved back to the small firm lifestyle to broaden his practice area experience. After reuniting with Wyeth in 2023, Steve joined him in forming Burrows & Stutsman with the goal of providing his clients with big law expertise combined with the small firm personal touch.

A dynamic and highly skilled trial attorney, with over a decade of litigation experience, Steve has successfully defended clients in a wide range of complex cases, including employment, product liability, commercial, transportation, wrongful death, and catastrophic matters in both state and federal courts. He has also defended various school districts where he has effectively defended against a variety of employment, personal injury, and student sexual assault claims. His commitment to vigorously advocating for his clients is evident in his impressive track record of consistently achieving favorable outcomes throughout all stages of litigation. From skillfully challenging initial pleadings to securing summary judgments, negotiating advantageous settlements and vindicating his clients at trial, Steve’s strategic approach consistently delivers positive results for his clients.

As an accomplished trial lawyer, Steve has tried numerous cases in bench and jury trials across California. His ability to confidently navigate the courtroom and effectively present compelling arguments has earned him a reputation as a formidable advocate for his clients.

Beyond his courtroom successes, Steve leverages his extensive litigation experience to offer invaluable guidance to his clients. Recognizing the importance of proactive measures, he collaborates closely with clients to develop internal policies and procedures that not only help prevent litigation but also position his clients to mount robust defenses when confronted with unavoidable claims. With a deep understanding of the legal landscape, Steve’s meticulous approach ensures his clients are well-equipped to navigate potential legal challenges. Steve’s dedication to achieving exceptional results for his clients, combined with his expertise in litigation and commitment to proactive strategies, make him an invaluable asset to the clients he represents.