Appellate Litigation

A Wealth of Experience Across Multiple Industries
Having collectively litigated hundreds of appeals, our lawyers combine their specialized knowledge of appellate practice and procedure with an equally impressive grasp of the substantive law. DWT’s appellate lawyers have used their unsurpassed understanding of the industries they serve—whether in the areas of class action litigation, communications law, employment law, First Amendment law, or media and intellectual property law—to achieve consistently good results. They bring a depth of knowledge that they have acquired over decades of practice in trial courts, administrative proceedings, and arbitrations, and apply that insight to the appeal. And just as importantly, they bring their knowledge of the industry and its key players with them on appeal, so that when the time comes, they are positioned to harness the amicus support that will often make a critical difference in the appellate court.

U.S. Supreme Court
DWT lawyers have argued landmark cases before the United States Supreme Court involving First Amendment protection of cable television programming, search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment, the right to counsel under the Sixth Amendment, and discrimination under the Fourteenth Amendment. We also have filed numerous amicus briefs before the United States Supreme Court, including in virtually all of the Court’s First Amendment cases over the last decade.

Federal and State Appellate Courts
We have handled hundreds of appeals across the nation, including in every federal circuit court of appeals and every appellate court in every jurisdiction in which we practice.

Trial Expertise
Our appellate attorneys routinely assist trial teams to ensure that critical issues are preserved for appellate review and that the record is crafted with a view toward further judicial review.

Experience as Judicial Clerks and Senior Appellate Litigators in Government
Many attorneys on our appellate team have served as law clerks for appellate court judges, providing invaluable insight for crafting cogent legal arguments that cut to the core of what will interest appellate court judges. Others have served in senior government roles that routinely involve appellate litigation.

Appellate Community Involvement
Many of our appellate lawyers serve on leading bench/bar committees in their jurisdictions, alongside appellate judges and court administrators, and have spoken on appellate advocacy. That involvement, combined with frequent appearances before appellate court judges, gives our lawyers valuable understanding of these judges and unique perspectives on what makes effective appellate advocacy.