Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice
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State
Gretchen Garrison graduated from the University of Missouri in 1982 with a degree in Hospital Administration. She earned her law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1986, where she served as managing editor of the UMKC Law Reviewand on the Moot Court Board. Ms. Garrison is admitted to practice before all Missouri state courts, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has appeared before every appellate court in...
Kimberly A. Mello is a member of the firm's National Appellate Practice. She has briefed and argued dozens of appeals in state and federal court, including the Florida Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and Florida's District Courts of Appeal. In addition to focusing on appellate matters, Ms. Mello has extensive experience briefing complex legal issues at the trial court level during both the pre-trial and post-trial phases. She regularly consults with trial la...
Gavin Parsons is an experienced attorney representing many clients—from large corporations to local businesses and individuals—in high-stakes civil litigation in state and federal courts, including the North Carolina Business Court. Known for his practical, results-driven style, Gavin employs a strategic approach and creative thinking to deliver solutions clients need in a manner they appreciate. With a practice centered on both business and intellectual property litigation, Gavin...
Kian Hudson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Kian, who practices law in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kian is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Dana M. Hrelic is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Dana M., who practices law in Hartford, Connecticut, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dana M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Thomas R. Freeman is a principal at Bird Marella and a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Law. His practice is focused on civil litigation at the trial and appellate levels, and criminal appeals. He is certified as an appellate specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and has argued countless cases before federal and state appellate courts and case-dispositive motions before trial courts. Tom has handled a broad range of complex matters, including...
Robert Dubose graduated from Rice University magna cum laude in 1990 and Harvard Law School cum laude in 1993. He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Appellate Law. He is a past-chair of the Appellate Section of the Houston Bar Association. Robert handles appeals, with particular emphasis on insurance coverage, corporate governance, and commercial and contract disputes. He also works with clients and other lawyers on legal strategy before and during trial, f...
Thomas “Tom” H. Bienert, Jr. is a trial attorney with decades of experience handling complex litigation, investigations, and appeals in state and federal courts. Based in San Clemente, California, Tom represents businesses, executives, professionals, and individuals in matters involving Commercial Litigation, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Appellate Practice , and Criminal Defense: White-Collar . He is a founding partner of Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP (BKLW), a litigation-f...
Areas of Emphasis Casey Alan Coyle is the Managing Shareholder of Babst Calland’s Harrisburg Office and past Co-Chair of the firm’s Appellate and Litigation Practice groups. He concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation and appellate law. Mr. Coyle has significant first-chair trial experience and regularly represents businesses in high-stakes or bet-the-company litigation in state and federal trial courts throughout the country. He has worked on a variety of cases,...
Since joining Watkins & Eager in 1991, Walter's practice has included both federal and state court litigation in the areas of pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, medical malpractice, general product liability, and personal injury. Walter has served as lead trial counsel in numerous product liability and medical malpractice cases in both state and federal courts and has tried multiple cases to verdict. Walter chairs the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device and Alternative Dispute Re...
Douglas Benedon is a co-founder of Benedon & Serlin LLP and has practiced law since 1993, focusing on Appellate Practice in California state and federal courts. Based in Woodland Hills, California, his work has included representing rank-and-file employees, police officers, firefighters, district attorneys, and other public servants in employment discrimination and retaliation matters. Certified in Appellate Law by the State Bar of California for more than two decades. Recipient of the Pr...
PERSONAL INJURY & INSURANCE LAW After graduating from Case Western Reserve University Law School in 1996, Margaret first worked for the Erie County Prosecutor’s Office before joining Murray & Murray. She works to be an advocate for her clients and help them in the best and most meaningful way possible. Presenting a case to the court and having the clients understand just how much the firm cares about their very personal and individual claims is very important to her. Margaret is...
Eric Hoch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Construction Law and Insurance Law. Eric, who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Eric is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Doug Alexander is widely regarded as one of the premier advocates specializing in practice before the Supreme Court of Texas and is listed by Texas Super Lawyers as one of the Top 10 lawyers in Texas. Doug is the 2013 recipient of the Texas Bar Foundation's Gregory S. Coleman Outstanding Appellate Lawyer Award; was selected as the 2017 Austin Appellate Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America; and is listed in the Texas Lawyer Go-To Guide as one of five "Top-Notch Lawyers" in Texas for A...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.