The types of cases where appellate attorneys are now being called as soon as a claim is filed include those with novel or complex legal issues and those where the stakes are high. Sometimes these specialists are given free reign to hire the entire legal team, according to MC Sungaila, a partner with Haynes and Boone LLP.
"This has led to an expanded role for some appellate lawyers as 'chief legal strategy counsel' in significant cases--often in class or collective actions or cases involving emerging legal standards," Sungaila said. "In this role, the appellate lawyer serves as a trusted advisor who directs the over-arching legal strategy in a case from the outset and often leads the selection of the overall litigation team."
Excerpted from Attorney Journal Orange County. To read the full article, click here.