Appellate

We always remember that our clients' cases involve both legal and practical considerations. Our well-rounded approach focuses on:

• Thoughtful counseling concerning clients' best available options, both in the trial court to prepare for a possible appeal and after trial when the appeal is in process
• Collaboration with trial lawyers who are handling the case in the trial court to assist with dispositive motions, jury charges, preservation of error during trial and important post-trial motions that set the stage for the appeal
• Use of rapid response teams to handle time-sensitive projects such as mandamus, other original proceedings and emergencies that arise before and during trial
• Incisive legal analysis and persuasive writing in the trial court and on appeal
• Contributing articles and speeches, keeping us up to date on emerging legal theories, issues and policies that affect our clients

We have a broad range of experience in appeals concerning:

• Administrative law
• Antitrust
• Arbitration
• Class actions
• Education
• Employment
• Environmental
• Health care
• Intellectual property
• Lending and mortgage
• Oil, gas and energy
• Product liability

We serve our profession and communities. Our appellate lawyers have:

• Led the appellate sections of state and local bar associations
• Contributed to the appellate profession as members and/or leaders of the Texas State Bar Court Rules Committee; Texas Pattern Jury Charge Committee (Business, Consumer, Employment Law); Civil Appellate Exam Commission for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization; American Bar Association Judicial Division; and American Bar Association Counsel of Appellate Lawyers State Chairs Committee
• Donated pro bono services to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and federal Criminal Justice Act program

Given this background of experience, leadership and service, a trademark of Locke Lord's appellate lawyers is teamwork. Not only do we work closely with trial lawyers at the trial stage — within Locke Lord and from other firms — but we also team up with other appellate lawyers whenever that is in the client’s best interests. The most important thing to us at Locke Lord is the client’s needs.

Successful appeals begin long before a case goes to trial. If an appeal is a possibility, we work with the trial team, both pre-trial and during trial. By focusing on the arguments and issues that may affect an appeal, we free up trial attorneys to focus on the presentation of the evidence. Once a verdict is rendered or judgment entered, we take a fresh look at the case by evaluating the merits of an appeal and counseling clients about likely appellate outcomes and the possibility of alternative dispute resolutions. If the decision is made to move forward with an appeal, we shape the appellate arguments, aligning them with the standard of appellate review, to facilitate the preservation of hard-won victories or reversal of unjust or incorrect decisions.

In addition to representing clients directly involved in appeals and original proceedings, we often represent non-party clients who are likely to be affected by an appeal but whose interests may not be represented adequately by the litigants. We assist trade associations and others by filing amicus briefs presenting the appellate court with public policy arguments, economic analysis and broader concerns.

Locke Lord’s appellate group has obtained substantial court-ordered reversals in multimillion-dollar cases involving diverse businesses and industries. Our efforts have led to judicial review of lower court decisions that not only had a positive local, regional or national impact on our clients' businesses but have also changed the law on a broader scale.