Best Lawyers Near You in Santa Monica, California for Appellate Practice
Jessica Weisel has more than 20 years of experience handling must-win civil appeals, writs, and trial court motions for businesses and individuals. She has litigated in nearly every federal circuit Court of Appeals and has extensive experience in the California Supreme Court and California Court of Appeal. Jessica’s substantive appellate experience covers a vast range of subjects. She recently obtained reversals of a $19 million wrongful termination judgment in an employment suit, a $27...
Gregory R. Ellis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Gregory R., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gregory R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Benjamin G. Shatz is a partner in the firm’s Trial Practice Group , focusing on appellate advocacy and complex litigation matters. Benjamin represents clients in high-stakes appeals, writ proceedings, and discretionary review matters in state and federal courts across the country. His appellate experience spans a broad range of industries and legal issues, including complex commercial disputes, entertainment and copyright matters, employment litigation, real estate and land use, banking...
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...
Steven Weisburd has extensive experience representing businesses and individuals in federal and state courts in California and across the country, including class actions, business disputes, mass torts, MDLs, product liability, and other complex civil litigation, for clients in the consumer products industry, mass media and entertainment industries, technology industries, and financial services industry. A skilled litigator and legal strategist, Steven has over the past three decades amassed ...
Nadia is a Certified Appellate Specialist who helps clients keep their wins, reverse their losses, and develop the law. She brings appeals to life with structured and vivid writing that distills messy facts, untangles convoluted areas of law, and effectively frames the issues in a way that resonates with appellate courts. Clients and colleagues rely on Nadia to successfully develop a case long before an appeal is filed. She collaborates on dispositive and other significant pre-trial motions a...
Education : Occidental College (B.A., Psychology/Theater, cum laude, 1979); University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law (J.D. 1983). Admitted to : California and New York State Bars; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; U.S. District Courts in California. Professional Experience : Benedon & Serlin, LLP (2015-present); Senior Counsel head of Law and Motion & Appellate Department, Collins Collins Muir & Stewart (2012-2015); Associate, Lit...
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...
Joanna S. McCallum is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Joanna S., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joanna S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ellie Ruth is an appellate attorney admitted to practice in California and Texas. Her practice focuses on appeals, writs, and dispositive pre- and post-trial motions on a broad range of legal issues, including premises liability, attorneys fees, contracts, family law/complex divorces, evidence, insurance (bad faith, Cumis counsel), product liability, employment, and civil procedure. Ellie has published and presented on a variety of issues including evidence, expert witnesses, and annual updat...
Ronald B. Turovsky is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Ronald B., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ronald B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Business owners, celebrities and trust beneficiaries across California turn to Christopher C. Melcher for his assistance protecting their most valuable assets. With deep experience in complex family law litigation and premarital agreements, Mr. Melcher helps his clients achieve successful outcomes despite extremely challenging circumstances. He understands the need to keep sensitive family matters private for his noteworthy clients and is dedicated to handling family law matters in a discrete...
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...
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.