Best Lawyers in California, United States for Appellate Practice
Rex Heinke is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished and experienced appellate practitioners in California, and among the best in the nation. He has argued more than 150 appeals in federal and state courts across the country. Between 2001 and 2020, Rex was co-head of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld’s nationally renowned Supreme Court and Appellate practice. He is regularly called on to defend major corporations and high-profile individuals in some of their most hotly conte...
Johanna Schiavoni is certified as a specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California and has nearly two decades of appellate experience. She has argued more than 40 cases in the state and federal appellate courts, and has been the principal brief-writer in at least 100. Johanna is a leader of state and local legal associations. She was the 2020 President of the San Diego County Bar Association, which serves nearly 10,000 members of the San Diego legal community. In 2023, Johanna was...
Known for being a clear thinker and articulate writer, HFM Partner John Morris uses his expertise to creatively negotiate compensation, representing plaintiffs and defendants as both appellants and respondents. Mr. Morris' practice is devoted exclusively to civil appeals, and during his nearly 38 years at HFM, he has served as lead appellate counsel in hundreds of cases in California Courts of Appeal and in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. He has also appeared before the California Supreme ...
Thaila Sundaresan is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Appellate Practice. Thaila practices law in San Francisco, California Best Lawyers has recognized Thaila Sundaresan since 2027. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Thaila Sundaresan is held by other lawyers.
William E. Thomson is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Appellate Practice. William E. practices law in Los Angeles, California Best Lawyers has recognized William E. Thomson since 2023. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which William E. Thomson is held by other lawyers.
Barry Landsberg is a health industry litigation partner, who has made landmark law for hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers and insurers. Barry has also won several first-impression cases for hospitals before the California Supreme Court and the California Court of Appeal. Barry handles cases and appeals of complex business and health regulatory litigation disputes arising under the Unfair Competition Law, the anti-kickback statutes, the False Claims Act, and RICO, as well...
Dan Marmalefsky specializes in complex civil and criminal business litigation. His civil practice covers issues relating to securities, unfair competition, fiduciary and shareholder rights and obligations, and general business litigation. His civil cases have included matters related to the subprime banking crisis, alleged backdating of stock options, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty, inaccurate financial reporting, and deceptive sales practices in the insurance, telecommunications and food...
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...
A Shareholder and Co-Chair of the Appellate Practice Group, Robert C. Little is a seasoned business lawyer and appellate litigator with over two decades of legal experience. Mr. Little is certified as a legal specialist in the practice of appellate law by the State Bar of California, one of fewer than 350 attorneys who hold this distinction among California’s 191,350 practicing lawyers. He has served as counsel of record in over 200 state and federal appeals and writ proceedings for ins...
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.
