Best Lawyers in District of Columbia, United States for Appellate Practice
Universally considered to be among the country's premier Supreme Court and appellate advocates, Seth Waxman served as Solicitor General of the United States from 1997 through January 2001. In addition to leading the firm's appellate practice, Mr. Waxman engages in a broad litigation and counseling practice, with particular emphasis on complex challenges involving governments or public policy, intellectual property, regulatory, criminal and commercial issues.
William M. Jay is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, FDA Law and Litigation - Patent. William M., who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Louis Cohen is a senior counsel in the firm's Litigation/Controversy Department, and a member of the Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation Practice Group. He joined the firm in 1967. Mr. Cohen served as Deputy Solicitor General of the United States from 1986-1988, and focuses on US Supreme Court and other appellate litigation and corporations law. Mr. Cohen’s appellate practice has included more than fifty cases on the merits in the US Supreme Court and a large number of cases in the c...
Mike Jakes concentrates his practice on patent litigation and related counseling. He serves as lead counsel in federal district courts and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), before arbitration panels, and on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Mike deals mainly with computer, electronics, semiconductor, software, and medical device technologies. Mike has vast experience at the Federal Circuit, having argued more than 45 appeals and prepared and filed brief...
Robert K. Kry is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Robert K., who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Matthew D. McGill is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Gaming Law and Sports Law. Matthew D., who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
David W. Bowker is the partner-in-charge of the firm’s Washington DC office and chair of the International Litigation practice. He is a nationally renowned litigator with nearly 25 years’ experience representing corporate clients, nonprofits, museums, universities, individuals, international organizations, governments, and government officials in a wide range of high-stakes commercial and governmental disputes before the US Supreme Court, US Courts of Appeals, US District Courts, ...
Kelly Dunbar is a partner in the firm’s Government & Regulatory Litigation and Appellate & Supreme Court Litigation practice groups, and a leader of the firm's Administrative Law Group. He focuses his practice on government and regulatory litigation, administrative rulemakings, constitutional and civil litigation, and appellate matters. Mr. Dunbar regularly counsels clients regarding regulatory strategy and litigation, represents them before administrative agencies, and litigate...
Robin Burrell focuses her practice on complex commercial and government-facing litigation in both trial and appellate courts. Frequently representing leading technology companies and universities, Ms. Burrell handles high-stakes civil litigation matters implicating constitutional and statutory issues, including under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Ms. Burrell has extensive experience with all phases of civil litigation in federal and state ...
Hillary Smith focuses her practice on complex litigation matters in both trial and appellate courts. She has experience at all levels of state and federal court, including the US Supreme Court, and in a wide range of substantive areas, including administrative law, constitutional law, ERISA, the False Claims Act, and criminal law and procedure. She has taken multiple depositions and assisted in taking and defending numerous other depositions, and recently argued before the DC Court of Appeals...
Joseph Meyer represents clients in complex litigation, with a focus on appellate litigation. He has authored dozens of briefs and dispositive motions at all levels of state and federal court, including the US Supreme Court, and has argued successfully on behalf of disability-benefits recipients in a nationally significant case before the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. His clients include individuals, for-profit and non-profit organizations, political parties and campaigns, schoo...
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.