At Z Family Law, we're here to help you help your clients by advocating for their interests throughout every step of the complex appeals process, whether you want to remain involved or not. From consulting, ghost-writing, and co-counseling, to full-spectrum appellate advocacy, we offer services to help you and your client give their case the second chance it deserves, any way you want to do it.
Why Should You Refer Your Client to an Appellate Attorney?
It's simple: An appellate attorney devotes the time that you may not have to execute an appeal on your own.
If you're an attorney with a busy trial practice, you know first-hand how much time it takes to prepare an appeal, conduct additional research, author a robust appellate brief, and handle oral argument. Between the everyday demands of your practice, that's time you don't have to focus on the work that developing an effective appeal requires.
How We Support You and Your Clients
We Find a New Angle
As your appellate advocate, we’ll evaluate every case in a new light to provide a fresh perspective for the higher court. In many circumstances, the attorney who worked on a case from its inception might not be able to see strengths and weaknesses in the arguments as clearly as an appellate attorney, who can take a step back and meaningfully reframe the case to sway the court in favor of your client.
Additionally, sometimes when you are in the heat of trial, you can forget which evidence was actually elicited and what nuanced testimony your client was able to give before the judge.
We Walk With You
The complexities of appellate procedure can be daunting for a busy trial attorney, especially if you have not prepared an appeal before, but you don’t have to face them alone.
Our experienced team is here to help you navigate the rules regulating appeals while advising you (and your client) on how those rules could impact your case — from standards of review to stays pending appeal, bond requirements, appellate motions, and more. We're also well-versed on the pitfalls of appellate procedure (and how to avoid them), the preferences of appellate judges, and the latest developments in the world of appeals — knowledge we'll apply for your client's benefit.
We Advocate for Your Client
For appellate attorneys, advocacy takes on a different meaning. Driven by a passion for research and writing, our seasoned appeals team excels in re-working complex, specialized cases so the appellate courts can more easily grasp the relevant arguments.
Our penchant for advocacy continues to the courtroom, where we maintain a strong presence by engaging with the bench during arguments and actively anticipating the judges’ questions to sharpen our responses. Above all, our collective role as appellate advocate is to support your client in the manner that’s most advantageous for their particular case, with an enduring focus on the target audience: the appellate judge(s).
Our Services for Attorneys
Co-Counseling
For a busy trial practitioner like yourself, sharing the day-to-day responsibilities of the appellate process can save you time and effort. That's where Z Family Law comes in.
Our skilled appellate team can partner with you to perform the research, review the record, determine the issues to appeal, write the brief (along with any necessary motions), and argue the case before the appellate court.
Consulting
Preparing your own appeal but seeking guidance on the process? Our team can act as a consultant for your appeal by providing:
Assistance meeting procedural requirements
Help refining your arguments and editing your brief
Advice on how to approach the court
Tips on perfecting and delivering your oral argument
Ghost-Writing
If you don't have time to draft an appellate brief but still want your name attached to it, Z Family Law offers ghost-writing support that empowers you to maintain complete control over your file from start to finish. Since you’ll be the attorney communicating with both the appellate court and client, ghost-writing services give you control over the arguments presented. If you want to argue the case, but your research and appellate writing skills are rusty, we can help to write the appeal while you dazzle the court with your oral advocacy.
In the world of family law appeals, we’re here to help you advocate for your clients. Powered by our vast appellate experience and proven dedication, we’re here to turn what’s normally a complex, daunting process into an opportunity to give your clients the second chance they deserve. When the lower court doesn’t get it right the first time around or when you want to reaffirm its final decisions, ZFL is the firm you can count on to take the appellate stress off your plate and keep your clients’ best interests at heart.
