Appellate Lawyers | DLA Piper

Comprehensive appellate advice for appeals nationwide

We provide astute and creative appellate advice that preserves your victory or overturns your defeat. Our experience in appeals covers high-stakes cases and includes product liability, complex commercial disputes, multi-district litigation, constitutional litigation, administrative law, white collar defense, environmental disputes, antitrust matters, intellectual property claims, and bankruptcy.

We are a leading appellate law practice, with a track record in successfully litigating complex appellate matters in courts across the nation.

Our team includes several former law clerks from 20 US offices who served with judges sitting on the highest-profile courts in the country. Our attorneys include highly-ranked experienced litigators who have practiced and argued before the US Supreme Court, all 13 federal Courts of Appeals, and state appellate courts.

We work closely with our trial colleagues from the outset to develop a winning litigation strategy in all cases, including those where the stakes are high. All members of our team have significant trial experience that complements their appellate skills, enhancing their ability to work effectively with trial counsel.

“Supreme Court matter work has been impressive and addresses emerging legal issues businesses grapple with regularly”

Legal Intelligencer list of Unsung Heroes

We handle appeals and legal issues meticulously at every stage of litigation. Our lawyers are skilled at developing winning legal arguments, issue spotting, objecting, preserving key issues for appeal, and framing legal issues.

We carefully evaluate the merits of an appeal, writ or motion, and persuasively advocate your rights in written briefs and at oral argument. We are dedicated to providing the appellate court with a fresh view of your issues and so persuade the court to rule in your favor. We provide you with an insider’s view of your appeal, and can anticipate concerns likely to be raised by the judicial panels that hear your case.

End of Chevron deference and its implications

The Supreme Court ended last term with several decisions that promise to reshape the regulatory landscape. Our compilation of thought leadership closely looks at their implications across industries—including the new opportunities and challenges they present for different entities.

Experience

Achieved a significant appellate victory for a leading children's entertainment company in a landmark Ninth Circuit decision on copyright fair use. Client had sued a comic book media company for copyright and trademark infringement based on a planned release of the client’s new book.
Obtained summary judgment affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for a multinational pharmaceutical company in a mass tort litigation involving claims that client’s diabetes medication causes pancreatic cancer. The decision comes after nearly eight years of litigation and effectively ended the federal litigations, which included more than 300 cases filed on behalf of the plaintiffs.
Served as appellate counsel for a multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company in a multidistrict litigation, including six victories on causation and statute of limitations, including affirmation of district court’s show-cause dismissal procedure. Embedded with trial team for first two bellwether jury trials, both of which resulted in defense victories. In each of those instances, DLA Piper was responsible for the briefing and oral argument before the Fifth Circuit.
Successfully represented the largest wireless industry trade association in the United States—in a high-profile appeal before the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reviewing an order of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that repurposed spectrum for innovative “5G” services that will facilitate the deployment of innovative services (from more efficient teleworking applications to self-driving cars to “smart” home technologies).
Obtained a precedent-setting appellate victory in the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on behalf of a national early childhood education company in an expedited eviction against one of the preschools in the Massachusetts summary process court. The decision resulted in a change to the Local Rules of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
After a major global carrier airline of the United Kingdom was the victim of a criminal attack on its computer systems, they were faced with regulatory and litigation challenges in the US and the UK, including a nationwide putative class action in the US asserting various claims, including breach of implied contract. Successfully won a motion to dismiss twice, which the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (NY) recently affirmed.
Won a significant appellate victory in the Eleventh Circuit for our pro bono client in a police excessive force case in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

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Featured insights

Why Now Might Be a Great Time to Sue the Government

Ilana Eisenstein,

Samantha Chaifetz,

Peter Karanjia

While many of the court's opinions will have major implications for Americans, it is the court's crackdown on the power of government regulators that may have the most profound effect of all. Last term's rulings left federal agencies in a weaker position than at any time in the last 50 years.

6 November 2024

US Supreme Court round-up: Business impacts for in-house counsel to know

We summarize some of the Court’s key business decisions and preview what’s ahead.

24 July 2024

Chevron overruled: In Loper Bright v. Raimondo, the Supreme Court reshapes the regulatory landscape

Paul Hemmersbaugh,

Samantha Chaifetz

The Court’s ruling has profound implications for federal agency actions, regulations, and persons subject to federal regulation, which is to say nearly everyone in the US.

28 June 2024

What is next for the CFPB after the Supreme Court’s decision affirming its constitutionality?

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the funding structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), reversing a previous ruling from 2022.

22 May 2024

Appellate Roundtable: The Landscape for Strategic Litigation Against The Government

When your company is adversely affected by federal or state government action, affirmative litigation can be a powerful tool for securing relief.

15 May 2024

Takeaways from Biden v Nebraska

Paul Hemmersbaugh,

Austin Brown,

Peter Karanjia

The Supreme Court has decided the closely watched student loan forgiveness case, Biden v Nebraska, but the dust has far from settled. In this episode, DLA Piper's Paul Hemmersbaugh, Austin Brown and Peter Karanjia discuss.

7 August 2023