Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice
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Lawrence S. Lustberg chairs the Gibbons Criminal Defense Department and is a longtime Director of the firm’s John J. Gibbons Fellowship in Public Interest & Constitutional Law, which litigates historic, cutting-edge civil rights and civil liberties cases. A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College (1979) and cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School (1983), as well as recipient of the International Graduate School Fellowship at the University of Stockholm (1980), Mr. Lustberg cler...
Brian Pipkin provides legal counsel and regulatory guidance to insurance companies, insurance agencies and producers, health plans, managed care companies, and other insurance and health care related entities, on a national basis. He has extensive appellate experience in cases before the federal courts of appeals, state supreme and intermediate appellate courts, and federal and state administrative agencies.
Matt Lembke, one of five Bradley Arant Boult Cummings lawyers to have clerked for the Supreme Court of the United States, has the broad range of skills necessary to be effective in representing clients at both the trial and appellate levels. He has applied those skills for more than 16 years in dozens of high-stakes cases. Matt has extensive experience in handling appeals pending in both state and federal courts, including arguing cases in the Alabama Supreme Court and the D.C., Fifth, and El...
Nothing defines an appellate lawyer more than writing ability. Chad Baruch wrote one of the most acclaimed appellate briefs in American history while representing what the New York Times called "a glittering array of hip hop stars." The "Hip Hop Brief" went viral and received national media coverage including articles in New Yorker and Rolling Stone. One newspaper called it "the greatest amicus brief in Supreme Court history." Chad’s work focuses on high-stakes civil and family appeals,...
With more than 40 years of experience as an appellate lawyer, and more than 2,000 appeals in state and federal courts, Elliot brings a practical and client-centered approach to his work. Elliot's practice covers a wide range of substantive law, which enables him to counsel his clients on both their legal rights and structuring their transactions. He is the co-chair of the firm's National Appellate Practice Group.
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...
Bryan Neal focuses his practice on labor and employment law, civil appellate law, school law, and civil rights matters. He represents management in labor and employment law matters in all aspects of administrative, trial, and appellate work, as well as counseling, with specific expertise in employment appeals. Bryan also handles civil appellate matters in all areas and represents public and private schools and governmental entities in various matters. He is Board Certified in both Labor and E...
Gage has represented clients in a variety of matters in state and federal trial courts throughout Ohio, the Ohio courts of appeals, the Ohio Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Gage has a practice focused on complex commercial and tort litigation, with an emphasis in appellate advocacy. Gage is a Best Lawyers® for appellate Advocacy, an Ohio Super Lawyer® and AV Preeminent® rated lawyer from Martindale Hubble. In 201...
John P. Desmond is a shareholder and the firm's Reno Litigation group leader. He focuses his practice in the areas of commercial litigation and appellate work. He regularly represents and counsels clients in commercial and business litigation matters involving contract disputes, buy/sell agreements and disputes over intellectual property. He has also represented physician groups in regard to compliance and contractual matters. His representation of clients includes a significant number of mat...
Whether by obtaining an acquittal of his white-collar client at the conclusion of the prosecutor's opening statement, or proving that the drug dog's sensitive nose has been kicked by a horse, during the past 45 years, Dan Monnat has been recognized as a creative trial and appellate criminal defense lawyer. He co-founded Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, a criminal defense trial and appellate firm in Wichita, Kansas, in 1985. A graduate of the Creighton University School of Law and Gerry Spenc...
Jordan T. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Jordan T., who practices law in Las Vegas, Nevada, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jordan T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Nicole J. Benjamin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Nicole J., who practices law in Providence, Rhode Island, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicole J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kendra G. Gjerdingen chairs the Appellate Law Group at Mallor Grodner Plummer LLP and handles the legal needs of private and business clients in civil litigation and family law. Her concentration includes family law and jurisdiction, interstate and international custody disputes, appeals, and civil litigation. Kendra is a leading family law and appellate lawyer in Indiana. She also has extensive experience in jurisdictional disputes. She has represented many clients in Hague Convention cases,...
Wallace B. Jefferson served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas prior to joining Alexander Dubose & Jefferson in 2013. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2001 and named Chief Justice in 2004, Jefferson made Texas judicial history as the Court’s first African-American Justice and Chief Justice. He led the Court’s efforts to fund access to justice programs; helped reform juvenile justice; and inaugurated a statewide electronic filing system for Texas courts. During his...
As a business litigator, Bob works with clients to identify and execute plans to resolve disputes in ways that make business sense. In some cases, that might involve a business solution such as restructuring a contract or negotiating an owner’s exit from the business. In others, it will involve litigating the dispute through trial and any appeals, working closely with the client to maintain focus on achieving the desired result as cost-effectively as possible. Bob assists business clien...
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.