The FGMC Appellate Practice Group focuses on the highly specialized and continuously evolving discipline of appellate procedure and advocacy. Our appellate attorneys handle all phases of post-judgment and appellate litigation in civil, criminal, and administrative cases. We have successfully briefed and orally argued appeals in federal and state reviewing courts across the country and over a broad spectrum of areas, including:
- Administrative/agency law
- Bankruptcy
- Casualty/negligence/wrongful death
- Commercial/business disputes
- Criminal
- Fidelity and surety
- First-party property insurance coverage
- Liability insurance coverage
- Premises liability
- Products liability
- Professional malpractice
- Property rights/liens
- Transportation/admiralty/maritime
We also frequently appear as amicus curiae on behalf of special interest groups and trade organizations likely to be impacted by an appeal but whose broader interests are not adequately represented by the individual litigants.
Because successful appeals begin long before trial or verdict, our appellate team often becomes actively involved at the critical pre-trial stages and during trial by partnering with the trial lawyers to help posture the case for a successful resolution, whether through settlement, judgment, or appeal. By objectively monitoring the trial court proceedings, we are able to ensure the comprehensive record necessary to put our clients in the strongest position on appeal and to provide them with a real-time evaluation of the appellate issues and the likelihood of success on appeal. To this end, the appellate team:
- Monitors pre-trial and trial proceedings
- Prepares dispositive motions, motions in limine, and motions for directed verdict
- Consults with trial counsel to identify and preserve errors for appellate review
- Prepares jury instructions
- Prepares and argues post-trial motions