The practice group at Akin is regularly engaged by major industry players seeking representation in appeals in Circuit and Supreme courts nationwide. Particular areas of expertise include IP, Native American law, administrative law, labor law, and financial restructuring cases. The practice is coordinated by Washington, D.C.-based Pratik Shah, who brings to the table experience arguing eighteen cases before the US Supreme Court and over sixty in other appellate courts across the country. A recent standout mandate saw Shah successfully defend the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority against constitutional challenges to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, brought by various states and private groups, in multiple circuits. James Tysse and Julius Chen are additional key contacts at the D.C. office. Aileen McGrath left the firm in July 2024.

Arnold & Porter‘s practice group boasts a strong appellate track record, having triumphed in all of its six cases in the United States Supreme Court since January 2023. Recent victories of note have included successfully representing Stanford University and a group of other defendants in the 5th Circuit that have been sued for research efforts relating to online misinformation during the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic; and defeating a claim in the 10th Circuit for qualified immunity by government officials arising from the use of unconstitutional and excessive force on protestors in Denver, Colorado. Washington, D.C.-based practice lead John Elwood draws on substantial experience arguing cases before the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals. Additional contacts in D.C. include Stanton Jones, Allon Kedem, Elisabeth Theodore and Andrew Tutt.

The ‘exceptional’ and ‘very strategic-minded’ team at Baker Botts L.L.P. is noted for its work arguing before state courts of appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Macey Reasoner Stokes steers the practice and recently represented Calpine Corporation as intervenor in three major appellate cases arising from Winter Storm Uri, two before the Fifth Circuit and one before the Texas Supreme Court. Additional key contacts include ‘authoritative, trustworthy, convincing and credible advocate’ Aaron Streett; ‘gifted writer’ Anthony Lucisano; and Austin-based former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Phillips. All named attorneys are based in Houston unless otherwise stated.

The practice group at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP regularly handles the appellate work for matters handled by the firm at trial. The New York-based team can point to victories at federal and state appellate courts across the country, including a recent success for Mylan in the form of a federal court of appeals decision affirming a grant of summary judgment defeating class action litigation which sought more than $4bn in damages for alleged securities fraud. Key contacts include litigators Antony Ryan and Wes Earnhardt.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP's appellate practice is highly specialized in presenting arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court and federal and state courts nationwide. Leadership is shared between Washington, D.C.-based Thomas Dupree, who draws on previous experience acting as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and has argued over 100 appeals in the federal courts; Dallas-based Allyson Ho; and Los Angeles-based Julian Poon. Dupree recently represented Union Pacific Railroad Company in a Seventh Circuit appeal involving commuter rail service in Chicago; Ho led a team in successfully representing Truck Insurance Exchange at the U.S. Supreme Court. Poon, for his part, led a team that succeeded in obtaining a post-trial victory in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Farmers Insurance Exchange and Farmers Group. Additional key contacts include LA-based Theodore Boutrous, and Miguel Estrada, Thomas Hungar, and Helgi Walker, all of whom are based in D.C. Theodore Olson passed away in November 2024.

The team at Goodwin is well-versed in representing life sciences and tech companies in patent and licensing disputes, as well as ERISA and class action appeals. The group is also routinely engaged in immigration and financial services cases. Leadership is shared between William Jay and Jaime Santos, both of whom are based in Washington, D.C.; and Boston-based Kevin Martin. Jay draws on notable experience arguing patent, copyright, and trademark cases before the Supreme Court, as well as handling constitutional law, securities, financial services, and class action mandates. Younger partner Santos focuses on appellate matters and has experience in ERISA litigation, patent litigation and product litigation. Martin, for his part, has been engaged in recent years on federal and state appellate court cases that have included successfully representing Workhuman in a case involving questions of statutory interpretation under Florida’s Private Whistleblower Act. D.C.-based Brian Burgess and Boston-based David Zimmer are additional key contacts. Gerard Cedrone left the firm for the Massachusetts State Solicitor’s Office in November 2024.

The 'incredibly responsive' and 'amazingly practical' team at Jones Day, which is lauded for its 'creative business-oriented solutions and advice', is a strong choice for high-profile appellate mandates - the group draws on the collective expertise of 49 former Supreme Court clerks and 71 former federal courts of appeals clerks. New York-based Traci Lovitt steers the practice and regularly acts as lead counsel for Supreme Court and appellate matters. Additional key contacts include former US Solicitor General Noel Francisco, who has represented Georgia-Pacific in the Sixth Circuit in a long-running dispute regarding clean-up costs at a Superfund site in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Hashim Mooppan, who leads the firm's efforts in representing United Airlines in appealing a major class-action decision in the Fifth Circuit; and Yaakov Roth, who assisting in representing Bristol Myers Squibb Company in its Third Circuit appeal challenging the constitutionality of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. Detroit-based Amanda Rice is also noted for her expertise in constitutional questions, arbitration issues, and class actions. Minneapolis-based Matthew Rubenstein was promoted to the partnership in January 2024. All named attorneys are based in Washington, D.C. unless otherwise stated.

The practice group at King & Spalding LLP is well-versed in handling the appeals of certified class actions and those involving the Administrative Procedures Act, the False Claims Act, and securities laws. The team has particular expertise in arguing cases involving life sciences, healthcare, energy and IP before the Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts. Leadership of the practice is shared between Washington, D.C.-based duo Jeffrey Bucholtz, who is particularly noted for his appellate work handling matters for FDA/Life Sciences clients; and Ashley Parrish, who majors on administrative law appellate matters. A recent highlight saw Parrish represent the American Clinical Laboratory Association in a challenge to a new final rule issued by the FDA seeking to regulate all laboratory developed testing services as if they are medical devices under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Anne Voigts left the firm in August 2024. Product liability and healthcare litigation specialist Amy Pepke joined the Houston office from Butler Snow LLP in September 2024.

Lauded by one client as ‘outstanding across the board’, the team of ‘excellent strategic thinkers’ at Kirkland & Ellis LLP draws on notable experience briefing and arguing cases in the federal courts of appeals, state appellate courts, and the Supreme Court of the United States. The team has significant expertise in appeals involving antitrust, bankruptcy, class action, IP, trade secrets, environmental, and professional liability matters. Washington, D.C.-based John O’Quinn, who is praised as a ‘keen legal thinker, amazing writer … and responsive and clear with client communications’, steers the practice and majors on IP disputes, regulatory matters, and commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels. Also noted in D.C. are George Hicks and Jason Wilcox. A key contact in New York, Jay Lefkowitz recently represented Gilead Sciences, Inc. in antitrust class action litigation related to the development and sale of HIV treatments.

The practice group at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer regularly handles civil and criminal appellate mandates in state and federal courts of appeals across the country. A recent highlight saw the team succesfully argue an appeal on behalf of former New York lieutenant governor Brian Benjamin in connection with charges of bribery offenses in the Southern District of New York. Leadership is shared between Washington, D.C.-based partners Roy Englert, Matthew Madden and Daniel Lerman. Englert draws on experience arguing cases involving antitrust, bankruptcy, the False Claims Act, the Freedom of Information Act, civil RICO and employment discrimination before the Supreme Court. Madden, for his part, has particular expertise acting on bankruptcy and investment-related litigation, securities class actions, and complex commercial cases. Lerman, a former appellate attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, joined the firm in May 2024 and handles appeals involving constitutional law, corporate bankruptcy, and patent disputes.

The practice group at Latham & Watkins LLP is well-versed in handling high-profile appellate and Supreme Court mandates, as demonstrated by its recent success securing affirmance of a summary judgment victory for The Home Depot in an Eleventh Circuit appeal implicating two significant issues of ERISA law. Former US Solicitor General Gregory Garre draws on extensive experience in appellate litigation involving constitutional, statutory, and regulatory matters. Garre recently secured a unanimous victory in the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on behalf of Texas-based LNG export project developer Tellurian Inc. Noted litigator Roman Martinez,leads the team, and recently scored an appellate victory for Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association in its lawsuit against LA County. An additional highlight saw key contact Melissa Arbus Sherry argue on behalf Advocate Christ Medical Center in the US Supreme Court. Also noted are Michael Bern, who has experience litigating complex disputes spanning constitutional issues, administrative law, trade secrets, securities, and aviation law; and New York-based Samir Deger-Sen, who led the firm’s efforts which led to the Delaware Supreme Court affirming a motion to dismiss a $300m complaint against Edwards Lifesciences. All named attorneys are based in Washington, D.C. unless otherwise stated.

The practice group at McDermott Will & Emery LLP draws on experience handling, briefing, and arguing a wide range of appellate issues before the Supreme Court, all thirteen federal courts of appeals and numerous state appellate courts. The team's broad caseload routinely spans life sciences, IP, government regulation, tax, energy, and securities matters. Leadership is shared between Paul Hughes and Michael Kimberly. Hughes recently secured a victory for NCR Corporation when the Seventh Circuit vacated a district court decision denying a retrial in a Fair Labor Standards Act dispute. Kimberly, for his part, recently represented Houlihan Lokey before the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which issued a decision affirming a district court’s dismissal of employee stock ownership plan claims. Andrew Lyonsberg and Sarah Hogarth are additional key contacts. All named attorneys are based in Washington, D.C.

The practice group at MoloLamken LLP is well-versed in handling cases before the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals, with particular strength in appeals involving IP, energy, telecoms, sovereign immunity, and constitutional and administrative law. The practice is directed by Jeffrey Lamken, who is lauded by one client as an ‘especially adept oral advocate, uniquely composed and prepared for anything’. His recent cases of note have included representing Nobel Prize-winning scientists Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier before the Federal Circuit after the Patent Trial and Appeal Board declined to award them the patent for the CRISPR-Cas9 system for editing genes in eukaryotic cells. Also noted is appellate specialist Lucas Walker, who recently argued a significant trademark case on behalf of Abitron Austria before the Supreme Court. Appellate litigators Rayiner Hashem, Michael Pattillo, Robert Kry and Sara Margolis are additional key contacts. All lawyers mentioned are based in Washington, D.C., with the exception of Margolis, who is based in New York.

The team at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP routinely appears before state and federal appeals courts nationwide, handling appellate litigation mandates involving bankruptcy, financial services regulation, environmental, administrative, labor and employment, and constitutional law. Following the recent retirement of ex-practice lead David Salmons, key contacts include appellate specialists Michael Kenneally, Bryan Killian, and Stephanie Schuster, who are well-versed in novel questions of constitutional, statutory, and administrative law; and San Francisco-based Thomas Peterson, who brings experience arguing over 75 appeals in the California appellate courts to the table.

The 'incredibly smart, effective, responsive' team at Morrison Foerster is well-placed to handle appeals spanning IP, class action, antitrust, environmental law and ERISA. The group has particular expertise in IP appeals in the Federal Circuit, having successfully representing both patentees and defendants and presented over 75 oral arguments to the Court. Leadership is shared between a Washington, D.C.-based trio comprising Deanne Maynard, Brian Matsui and Joseph Palmore. Maynard recently led on a standout matter representing Walmart in a case in Texas state court alleging the misappropriation of trade secrets relating to Walmart’s mobile payment technology. Matsui, who garners client praise for his 'real mastery of the facts and law', has won 13 of his last 14 argued appeals in the Federal Circuit. James Sigel left the firm's San Francisco office in May 2024 and was replaced by Aileen McGrath, who joined from Akin, in July 2024.

The practice group at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is routinely instructed on high-stakes cases in the US Supreme Court involving a range of matters that includes trade secrets, product liability, regulatory and energy, employment law, and IP. New York-based Joshua Rosenkranz steers the practice and draws on experience arguing over 200 appeals in state and federal appellate courts across the nation, including 21 before the U.S. Supreme Court. His work of late has included securing the reversal of a $2bn verdict for Pegasystems in a trade secrets case in the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Key contacts at the Washington, D.C. office include Eric Shumsky, Robert Loeb and Mel Bostwick. Shumsky recently acted for Microsoft Corporation in a D.C. Circuit appeal concerning supply chains for tech products; Loeb recently represented the City of Saint Louis in a U.S. Supreme Court case addressing the key requirements for bringing a Title VII discrimination claim. Bostwick, for her part, majors on patent and veterans appeals before the Federal Circuit. Senior associate Abigail Colella has focused her practice on emerging technologies and IP-related appeals. San Francisco-based Elizabeth Moulton and Seattle-based Jeremy Peterman are also noted. Mark Davies left the firm in June 2024, while Ed Williams joined the D.C. office from WilmerHale in March of the same year.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP‘s team is skilled at delivering oral arguments before federal courts of appeals. Standout mandates of late have included securing an August 2023 Second Circuit victory on behalf of Goldman Sachs in a $13bn securities class action; and representing SAP in an appeal of antitrust and trade secrets claims brought by business analytics database provider Teradata. Kannon Shanmugam, who is lauded as ‘truly outstanding’ and a ‘world-class appellate litigator’, co-heads the group. Brad Karp and Jessica Carey co-lead alongside him. William Marks is an additional key contact; he specializes in civil and criminal appeals in federal and state courts and draws on experience representing clients in fifteen merits cases at the U.S. Supreme Court. Shanmugam and Marks recently won a notable appellate victory for Carnival Corporation when the Eleventh Circuit reversed a $440m judgment under the Helms-Burton Act for the allegedly improper use of docks in Havana that were seized by Fidel Castro’s government following the Cuban Revolution. Karen Dunn has departed the team.

Core areas of expertise for the team at Proskauer Rose LLP include ERISA, criminal law, constitutional law, IP, and bankruptcy-related appeals in Circuit and Supreme Courts. The practice group is co-led by New York-based Mark Harris, who is well-versed in appellate litigation touching on issues of labor relations, constitutional law and administrative law; and Boston-based John Roberts, who majors on patent, bankruptcy, class certification, and antitrust-related mandates. A recent victory of note saw the team secure a unanimous ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Stuart Harrow in a case challenging whether a statutory deadline to appeal a decision by an administrative agency is jurisdictional.

The practice group at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP is well-versed in giving oral arguments before the Supreme Court of the United States and a number of state appellate courts alike. The team is routinely engaged on appeals involving copyright, patents, trademark and trade secret law, antitrust, business torts, bankruptcy, and white-collar criminal defense. Key contacts include Washington, D.C.-based Derek Shaffer, who has been engaged by U.S. News in a First Amendment action against the City Attorney of the City of San Francisco; New York-based Sanford Weisburst; and John Bash, who splits his time between Austin and D.C. and has focused his practice on appellate litigation and internal investigations. Ex-practice head Kathleen Sullivan retired in January 2025.

The practice group at Ropes & Gray LLP routinely handles antitrust, securities, IP, and life sciences-related appeals. Washington, D.C-based practice lead Douglas Hallward-Driemeier draws on experience arguing 19 times before the U.S. Supreme Court and before every federal circuit court of appeals. In a recent highlight, Hallward-Driemeier was retained to represent MOAC Mall Holdings LLC in connection with ongoing litigation regarding the assignment of a lease for an anchor mall space in the Sears bankruptcy. Silicon Valley and San Francisco-based James Batchelder is an additional key contact for IP appeals.

Sidley Austin LLP's practice group has recently secured victories at the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeal alike, including a notable case handled on behalf of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, resulting in the Supreme Court blocking the latest rule by the Environmental Protection Agency implementing the Good Neighbor Provision of the Clean Air Act. Leadership is shared between Chicago-based Robert Hochman and Washington, D.C.-based Kwaku Akowuah. The practice is also home to seasoned appellate litigator Carter Phillips, who recently secured a Supreme Court victory on behalf of the San Carlos Apache Tribe when the court held that the federal government has not been properly funding Native American Tribes that administer their own healthcare programs and must pay Tribes for administrative costs. Peter Keisler left the firm.

The team at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is a regular fixture in a number of state supreme courts and courts of appeals. Leadership is shared between New York-based duo Lynn Neuner and Jonathan Youngwood. Neuner recently represented the estate of M. Richard Robinson in connection with trust and probate-related disputes in a First Department Appeal. Youngwood, who acts as co-chair of the firm's global litigation department, has significant experience representing corporations and boards of directors in securities, corporate control, ERISA, and antitrust-related appeals. A recent highlights saw Youngwood represent BOC International Holdings Limited and successfully obtain the dismissal of a proposed class action in the Southern District of New York.

Noted for its 'deep experience in appellate matters', the team at Vinson & Elkins LLP is well-versed in handling energy, environmental, IP, bankruptcy, tax, and securities-related appeals in circuit courts. The practice is directed by Washington, D.C.-based Jeremy Marwell, who is lauded by one client as 'prepared', 'thoughtful', and 'proactive' and draws on substantial experience arguing energy-related appeals in the D.C. and fifth circuits. 'Excellent appellate lawyer' Mike Heidler, who is a key contact at the Houston office, regularly appears in Texas appellate courts representing energy-sector players. Ex-practice co-head Marie Yeats retired in December 2024.

The team at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP draws on experience arguing cases before all thirteen federal circuits and the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as in various state intermediate and supreme courts. The group's broad caseload regularly features matters involving antitrust, IP, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, bankruptcy and class action. Leadership is shared between Washington, D.C.-based Mark Perry; New York-based Gregory Silbert; and Zachary Tripp, who splits his time between the two cities. Recent years have seen the team act for Regeneron against Novartis in both the Second and Federal Circuits in an antitrust dispute involving a multi-billion dollar eye treatment franchise; and secure a Ninth Circuit win for Apple in a Section 230 CDA case involving a fraudulent cryptocurrency app.

Lauded by one client as ‘the best Supreme Court and appellate practice in the country’, the team at Williams & Connolly LLP is a strong choice for appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court and counts major domestic and international banks and corporations on its client roster. Practice head Lisa Blatt has experience arguing 52 cases before the United States Supreme Court and recently secured a victory for Pfizer Inc. in an Anti-Terrorism Act lawsuit filed on behalf of American military service members and civilians against Pfizer and 17 other pharmaceutical manufacturers. Also noted is ‘amazing appellate advocate’ Sarah Harris, who garners praise for her ‘encyclopedic knowledge of constitutional and administrative law’. A notable mandate for Harris in the last year saw her represent the Kingdom of Spain in multiple appeals before the D.C. Circuit concerning plaintiff investors’ attempts to enforce arbitral awards rendered pursuant to the Energy Charter Treaty. Amy Saharia, who is singled out as ‘incredibly knowledgeable’, successfully represented UBS Financial Services before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit following the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico’s dismissal of the plaintiff’s complaint seeking damages based on various RICO, tort, and breach of contract claims. Luke McCloud rejoined the firm in August 2024. All named attorneys are located in Washington, D.C.

The team at WilmerHale has remained active in presenting arguments before state and federal courts of appeals in recent months, including two in the US Supreme Court. The group routinely handles appeals that involve questions of antitrust, bankruptcy, civil rights, constitutional law, employment law, IP, and Native American law. The practice is directed by 'premier appellate and Supreme Court advocate' and former US Solicitor General Seth Waxman, who draws on experience of over 85 arguments before the high court. Waxman, who is lauded by one client as providing 'measured, practical, and sophisticated advice', recently secured a notable victory for Twitter when the Supreme Court unanimously reversed a Ninth Circuit decision related to the liability of social media platforms for acts of terrorism, working in conjunction with Ari Holtzblatt. Boston-based Mark Fleming recently represented Netflix and assisted in securing three victories in appeals from adverse decisions by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Appellate specialist Daniel Volchok and 'excellent appellate attorney' Thomas Saunders are additional key contacts. All mentioned lawyers are based in Washington, D.C. unless otherwise stated. Ed Williams left the firm in March 2024, as did Catherine Carroll in September 2024, who departed to start a new role as Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the United States.

Winston & Strawn LLP’s practice group routinely appears before state trial courts and the U.S. Supreme Court handling appeals on behalf of corporate clients in the life sciences, pharma, insurance, infrastructure and telecoms segments. Corporate and securities fraud appellate litigation is a noted area of expertise for the team. Leadership is shared between a Chicago-based duo comprising Linda Coberly and Scott Glauberman. Coberly recently represented Relevent Sports Group, LLC, securing a second Circuit victory when the court revived Relevent’s antitrust suit challenging a FIFA rule prohibiting official season professional soccer league games from being played outside a team’s FIFA-designated country. Andrew Tauber left the firm in January 2024.