Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice
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State
Gerry Serlin is a California appellate lawyer and a co-founder of Benedon & Serlin LLP, established in 1993. Based in Woodland Hills, California, he has devoted nearly four decades to Appellate Practice, handling civil appeals in state and federal courts throughout California and beyond. His career reflects sustained involvement in shaping appellate advocacy through briefing, oral argument, and strategic counseling. Gerry’s professional background includes numerous recognitions refl...
Anne M. Collart is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Anne M., who practices law in Newark, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Anne M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kahn A. Scolnick is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Litigation - Securities. Kahn A., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kahn A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kenneth D. Sansom is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Environmental, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Kenneth D., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kenneth D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic...
Angela Farag Craddock is a partner at Young Moore, focusing her practice on helping businesses and institutional clients navigate civil litigation, state administrative litigation, and appeals. She leads the firm’s Appellate Practice and is a member of the Transportation and Logistics Practice group. She also helped to spearhead formation of Young Moore’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee as its inaugural Chair and has been a key contributor to recruiting efforts throughout her ...
Edward J. Dauber practices in the firm’s Litigation Group. He focuses his practice on white collar criminal matters, business litigation, and state and federal agency and regulatory matters. Ed joins CSG Law after founding a Newark-based law firm and working with its Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Teams. Prior to working in the private sector, he was the Chief of the Fraud Division of the United States Attorney’s Office in New Jersey and an advisor to the Attorney G...
Michael Berger is one of California’s preeminent appellate lawyers and is a partner in Manatt Real Estate and the appellate practice. One of the top land use and condemnation lawyers in the United States, his appellate cases have involved planning, zoning, eminent domain, various kinds of business litigation, landslides, contract, due process, equal protection, defective construction, nuisance, insurance and environmental law. Michael has argued four cases before the United States Supre...
Stephen J. Rhodes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law, Appellate Practice, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law and Utilities Law. Stephen J., who practices law in Okemos, Michigan, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Laura Smalley is committed to assisting clients in Pittsford, New York, with their technological development and safeguarding intellectual property rights. Her practice areas include Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Patent Law, and Trademark Law. She has considerable experience in handling complex cases related to patent infringement, particularly in the fields of medical devices, electronic components, and imaging technology. Laura also aids in p...
Christopher N. Bellows is an appellate attorney who has handled complex civil appeals in the Supreme Court of Florida, all Florida District Courts of Appeal and the federal appellate courts. Mr. Bellows also has significant experience in complex commercial litigation, including areas of contract law, Uniform Commercial Code, business torts, foreclosures, receiverships, replevins, construction disputes, landlord-tenant litigation, product liability, personal injury, first amendment, employment...
Bradley D. Pack joined Engelman Berger after completing a clerkship for the Arizona Court of Appeals, Hon. Susan A. Ehrlich. His practice focuses on the representation of both creditors and debtors in Chapter 11 bankruptcies, receiverships, and complex loan workouts. Bradley also represents lending institutions and small and medium-sized businesses in commercial litigation matters concerning business loan and contract disputes. In addition, he has successfully represented litigants in appeals...
Ed R. Haden is a partner with Balch & Bingham LLP, chairs the firm's Appellate Practice Group, and is the author of the Alabama Appellate Practice (LexisNexis) . Ed has twenty years of legal experience in the government and private sectors, has worked on over 100 appeals, and his practice focuses on appellate litigation in the Supreme Court of Alabama and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Ed specializes in knowing the written and unwritten rules and practices necessary t...
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.