Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice

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.

Charles G. Curtis, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust, Litigation - Environmental, Litigation - First Amendment, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy). Charles G., who practices law in Madison, Wisconsin, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in ...

Costa Pleicones, former Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court, advises Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd clients on complex litigation and appellate matters. He is a Certified Circuit Court Arbitrator and Mediator and his experiences as a successful practitioner, trial judge and appellate jurist allow him to provide skillful and effective dispute resolution services.

Troy A. Price is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation and Litigation - First Amendment. Troy A., who practices law in Little Rock, Arkansas, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Troy A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ryan Botkin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Ryan, who practices law in Austin, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ryan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Judy Barrasso is a founding member of Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, L.L.C. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation, and includes complex commercial litigation matters and class actions involving complex commercial contracts, director and officer liability, securities fraud, and insurance coverage and bad faith claims. Judy has been ranked by Chambers USA as a top commercial litigator, by Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star, and by the Diversity Journal as among 20...

Richard B. Phillips, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Richard B., who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Patricia M. Weaver is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation and Mediation. Patricia M., who practices law in Bethesda, Maryland, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patricia M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Gerald F. Petruccelli is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Mediation and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Gerald F., who practices law in Portland, Maine, has been recognized since 1989. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review su...

Michael J. King is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Michael J., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jeff Horst is Krevolin Horst’s senior litigator and “a go-to lawyer for referrals.” Jeff handles a wide variety of business related disputes in the areas of appeals, business torts, contracts, corporate governance, covenants not to compete, employment, entertainment, franchise, insurance coverage, intellectual property, officer and director liability, professional liability, securities litigation, shareholder disputes, and trade secrets. Jeff served as one of the principal t...

James is a first-chair trial lawyer with the insight from serving as an Arizona trial judge for more than seven years. He focuses his practice on trial and appellate representation in complex commercial litigation and elections disputes. He also serves as arbitrator, mediator, and special master. Before joining the firm, James served as a judge on the Arizona Superior Court, where he presided over hundreds of jury trials, bench trials, evidentiary hearings, and oral arguments. The civil trial...

Charlie Frazier’s successful argument before the Supreme Court of the United States is just one highlight in a distinguished appellate practice in both federal and state courts. For over 32 years, Charlie has assisted trial lawyers with legal strategy and handled appeals in variety of matters, including complex commercial disputes, insurance-related issues, and professional-malpractice claims. Charlie has argued many cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ...

Kevin Dubose has a BA in English from Rice University, and a JD from the University of Texas Law School. He began his career in a small litigation firm, primarily doing insurance defense work, and tried about 25 jury trial in his first 6 years of practice. He began specializing in appellate advocacy in 1985, first in a solo practice, then as the appellate specialist for a prominent plaintiff's personal injury practice. Since 1994 he has practiced in an appellate boutique environment. Kevin ha...

Mike has spent the last two decades litigating business and commercial disputes throughout Indiana and Michigan. He has litigated a wide range of disputes, representing both plaintiffs and defendants, including wrongful death actions, securities violations, contractual disputes, trade secrets actions, trademark and copyright infringement, coverage actions, and construction disputes. Mike has handled dozens of noncompetition cases both on behalf of the employer and the employee including durin...

Peter G. Verniero is Chair of the Sills Cummis & Gross Corporate Investigations and Integrity and Appellate Practice Groups. He is often called on to handle high‑stakes appeals and internal investigations. He leads an active appellate practice, frequently filing briefs and appearing at oral argument before appellate courts and the New Jersey Supreme Court. He has appeared before the New Jersey Supreme Court a dozen times (including two cases he argued while serving as New Jersey Attorney ...