Best Lawyers in California, United States for Appellate Practice
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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...
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.
Greg Pimstone leads the firm’s healthcare litigation practice. He is one of the country’s leading healthcare litigators, having been recognized on multiple occasions by the Daily Journal as one of the top 100 attorneys in the state of California. Greg has been lead counsel in numerous high-profile cases that produced landmark decisions transforming the legal landscape in the healthcare field. Greg is a trial and appellate litigator for California’s largest healthcare entitie...
Norman Pine, a Certified Appellate Law Specialist (State Bar, CBLS), has been singled out by CAALA (2003: “Appellate Lawyer of the Year"), CELA (Joe Posner Award), and the Daily Journal (“Top Employment Lawyers in California” 2009, 2011–2018, inclusive). For the past ten years he has been one of only a handful of appellate lawyers to make the “Top 100" Southern California Super Lawyers list (2009–2019, inclusive), and he has consistently been listed in Sout...
Claudia Ribet is one of only four attorneys in California recognized by the State Bar as a certified specialist in both appellate law and family law. This dual qualification gives Claudia deep insight into effective presentation of complex arguments in high-stakes family law appeals. She wins most of the California family law appeals she litigates. Some of Claudia’s published family law appellate victories are listed below, and Claudia has served as counsel in many more unpublished fami...
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...
Julian W. Poon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Julian W., 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 Julian W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kelly Woodruff is a seasoned appellate advocate, having represented clients and amici curiae in dozens of significant writs and appeals in the state and federal appellate courts in her 25 years of practice. Over the course of her career, Kelly has gained experience with appellate matters in nearly all subject areas related to business and civil litigation, including intellectual property, breach of contract, torts, probate, and trust matters. Recently, Kelly preserved a multi-million-dollar i...
Michael R. Williams is a trial and appellate lawyer with more than twenty-five years of experience representing clients in complex business disputes. Based in San Clemente, California, Mr. Williams is a partner with Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP , where he handles matters involving commercial litigation and appellate practice in state and federal courts. Mr. Williams represents plaintiffs and defendants in trials, arbitrations, and appeals involving a broad range of business and comme...
Ashley E. Impellitteri is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Litigation - Securities. Ashley E., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ashley E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Olivia represents clients in complex litigation matters involving a broad range of business and commercial disputes. Her practice includes Appellate Practice , Commercial Litigation , and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Based in San Clemente, California, Olivia works with clients across industries in matters involving copyright and patent claims, federal and state antitrust and unfair competition disputes, false advertising claims, breach of contract and licensing disputes, federal Indian...
Steven M. Brunolli is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Health Care Law. Steven M., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steven M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Patrick Fuster is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Patrick, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patrick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Rachel M. Garrard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Rachel M., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Rachel M. 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.