Sharon Baumgold is an expert in the arcane science of California appellate writs. She spent nearly four decades as a writs attorney on the California Court of Appeal’s Second District. There, she reviewed, analyzed, and advised appellate justices on more than 10,000 appellate writ petitions in all areas of state law, including arbitration, business and commercial litigation, employment, entertainment, government, insurance, real estate, and probate law. Frequent topics included jurisdic...

Patricia Benke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Patricia, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patricia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Gregory R. Ellis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Gregory R., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gregory R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Melanie Gold spent more than three decades as a research attorney for California appellate courts. She primarily worked with the justices of the Fourth District Court of Appeal in San Diego, but also with those of the Sixth District Court of Appeal in San Jose as well as the California Supreme Court in San Francisco. During that time, Melanie analyzed thousands of briefs, motions, and petitions, advised justices on hundreds of appeals, and developed a deep understanding of how appellate court...

Rex Heinke is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished and experienced appellate practitioners in California, and among the best in the nation. He has argued more than 150 appeals in federal and state courts across the country. Between 2001 and 2020, Rex was co-head of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld’s nationally renowned Supreme Court and Appellate practice. He is regularly called on to defend major corporations and high-profile individuals in some of their most hotly conte...

Steven A. Hirsch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Steven A., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steven A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Susan Horst is a specialist in writs of mandamus and prohibition in the California appellate courts. For more than 31 years, Susan served as the writ attorney for the California Court of Appeal for the First District, Division One, in San Francisco. Susan is one of the only practicing attorneys in California to have devoted virtually her entire career to appellate writs. As writ attorney in the First District, Susan evaluated thousands of pre- and post- trial writ petitions in all types of ci...

Jens Koepke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Jens, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jens is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.