The jury instructions were faulty. Proper procedures were ignored. The law was misconstrued. You were treated unfairly at trial.
When the stakes are high, appeal may be your only option.
What to Look for in an Appeals Attorney
Credibility, humility, and brains. Look for an attorney who knows the court that will have jurisdiction, who is respected by that court. Someone who knows which issues the court cares about—which approaches have worked in the past.
When you have only 20-30 minutes to make your argument succeed, you have to condense the key points into a convincing presentation that sells your points while answering the court's questions. That's a rare talent—one that is honed by first-hand experience and judgment.
What You'll Find at Venable
More than two dozen attorneys with significant experience before federal and state appeals courts across the country. They include a former U.S. attorney general, former members of the U.S. Solicitor General's Office, and former presidents of state and local bar associations. Our appellate attorneys are known for thoughtful, creative arguments and briefs that have resulted in victories in our last three cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as:
- overturning Maryland's unemployment compensation rules for strikes at multisite facilities
- overturning a Michigan statute restricting the size of interstate freight trains
- overturning large punitive damage awards ($200 million, $56 million, $40 million, and $9 million in Maryland and a $55 million award in a Tennessee federal court), all of which resulted in no tort liability against the defendants
Putting all the pieces together for a winning appeal
Practice Focus
- Administrative law
- Bankruptcy law
- Commercial law
- Constitutional law
- Construction law
- Environmental law
- Government contracts
- Intellectual property
- Labor and employment law
- Products liability