Practices: Appellate

Making a successful appeal, or successfully defending against an adversary’s appeal, is one of the toughest legal challenges and requires highly focused skills. Trial lawyers rely on oral advocacy to emotionally sway the court, while a good appellate lawyer works to sway an audience of judges through written arguments that emphasize detailed knowledge and analysis of the law. Ungaretti & Harris gives you the best of both: litigators who combine a background as trial lawyers with skill at preparing and responding to post-judgment motions, briefing and arguing appeals before federal, state and administrative courts.

Unique Combination

This unique combination of trial and appellate experience places an unusually balanced legal perspective at your service. It includes the ability to work as a member of your trial team and identify issues for appeal should the outcome of your case dictate one. Our appellate team can also examine your trial record and quickly grasp the essential issues on which to base an appeal. Once the basis for an appeal is identified, your appeal is perfected with the kind of full service typically found in appellate practice boutiques:

• The ability to craft an effective argument for convincing the appeals court that the law demands an outcome either consistent with or contrary to the original judgment.
• The insight to identify the key issues from a fresh perspective, frame them in persuasive written briefs and fully understand the unique aspects of appellate oral presentation.
• The procedural knowledge to give you skillful representation tailored to your needs and to the demands and perspectives of the appellate body.

Wide Experience

Because virtually any civil or criminal trial decision can be appealed, your likelihood of success is greater with appellate counsel who has the kind of wide-ranging experience found on our team. As a firm and as individuals, we have represented appellants and appellees in such matters as:

• Pharmaceutical products liability.
• Breach of contract actions.
• Administrative rulings by the Illinois Commerce Commission and other regulatory agencies.
• Insurance coverage.
• Challenges to governmental authorities in matters involving zoning, sports facility renovation and tobacco litigation settlement monies.
• Sanctions imposed against attorneys.
• Bankruptcies.
• Criminal convictions.
• Admiralty and Maritime Cases.
• Constitutional Cases.
• Medical liability.
• Employment Liability. 
• Real Estate Disputes.

Practice Flexibility

You have unlimited flexibility in engaging our appellate services. We can work with your trial counsel to whatever extent you wish, in civil, criminal or administrative matters, at the state or federal levels. We understand the emotion and expense that you’ve invested at trial, and can skillfully represent your interests whether you’re pursuing or defending against an appeal.