Appellate

Whether you are preserving a trial victory or appealing a loss, appellate litigation is about problem solving and good judgment. Not every appealable issue is a winning issue, and not every winning issue is obvious. We pride ourselves on being able to discern the difference, prioritize the best issues, and frame the argument to preserve a victory or overturn a loss.

In cases tried by FormanWatkins, our experienced appellate attorneys work hand-in-hand with trial teams to ensure proper development of the record and preservation of issues for appeal. We also pride ourselves on being thought leaders for the issues consistently faced by our clients. When those issues are presented or are ripe for appeal, FormanWatkins helps to develop comprehensive approaches to those problems and thoughtfully attacks the issues that can shape the litigation for years to come.

Additionally, our approach to preparing, briefing, and arguing an appeal is influenced by the firsthand knowledge of the firm’s former judicial law clerks. FormanWatkins boasts four former federal circuit clerks, two state Supreme Court clerks, and a number of federal district court clerks. FormanWatkins attorneys have also served in state attorney general and district attorney offices. We believe this intimate knowledge of the courts allows us to better inform our clients about what to expect during an appeal and predict to how arguments will be received by the court.

Our attorneys have argued appeals in numerous federal courts of appeals and state appellate or high courts in jurisdictions throughout the country. FormanWatkins has extensive experience appearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (involving Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas federal district courts) and before the Mississippi Supreme Court; however, the firm’s appellate success is not geographically limited. We have handled appeals in three other federal circuits and a number of State appellate courts and have won appeals in some of the nation’s most influential courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the New York Court of Appeals.