Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice
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State
Doug Muller brings considerable experience in federal and state courts, both at the trial and appellate levels. His maritime clients benefit from the professional judgment he has gained over 20 years as an admiralty lawyer and litigator. For his maritime clients, Doug often works with tight deadlines and on very short notice to respond around the clock to those with urgent needs. His broad-based knowledge informs his general maritime practice, in which he represents ship owners, vessel charte...
Mark practices commercial litigation and co-chairs the firm’s appellate practice section, handling civil appeals in the state and federal courts. For 25 years, he has represented clients in a wide variety of areas, including business torts and contracts, securities fraud, trade secrets, employment, professional malpractice, officer and director liability, and real estate litigation. Mark has been named a Best Lawyer by the Best Lawyers in America since 2009 , and is also recognized by A...
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...
Michael T. McConnell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Litigation - Health Care, Litigation - Insurance, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants. Michael T., who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2001. This recognition is based on an exhaustive pee...
Judson A. Welborn, a member of Manning Fulton's litigation section, concentrates his practice in the areas of real property litigation, construction litigation and business litigation. He has extensive experience representing clients in the state and federal courts of North Carolina, as well as administrative agencies and arbitration forums, in a variety of litigation matters involving real property and title insurance disputes, construction disputes, franchise, taxation and other business di...
Lisa A. Pake is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Insurance Law, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Litigation - Insurance and Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants. Lisa A., who practices law in St. Louis, Missouri, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lisa A. is held by other top lawye...
Bonnie Boryca is a member of Erickson | Sederstrom’s labor & employment, litigation, and appellate practice groups. Her practice focuses on advising and resolving employment matters, complex commercial and business litigation, technology litigation, and trust and estate disputes. Bonnie has the experience to assist clients in reaching resolutions and achieving results. Bonnie frequently advises employers and business owners regarding HR policies and procedures. She helps guide emplo...
Kaye Hearn is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Kaye, who practices law in Greenville, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kaye is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.
Edward T. Kole chairs the Business and Commercial Litigation team at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. Mr. Kole handles complex corporate and commercial disputes on behalf of public and private companies in New Jersey and across the nation. Mr. Kole has represented large and medium sized businesses and corporations at every level of state and federal courts, involving a myriad of legal issues including complex contract disputes, restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation, securities ...
Gray T. Culbreath Gray Culbreath represents corporations, individuals and insurers in trials and appeals. For almost 30 years he has handled complex trials and appeals in federal and state courts across South Carolina. His career has taken Gray from Army courtrooms to every federal and state courthouse in South Carolina. His principal areas of practice include all types of complex commercial and class action litigation, including antitrust, product liability and mass tort as well as claims of...
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...
Robert S. Shafer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Robert S., who practices law in Little Rock, Arkansas, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.