Trial lawyers and appellate lawyers have different skill sets that compliment each other’s practices. But some trial lawyers feel equally at home in both the trial and appellate courts. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders talk to their first trial attorney guest, Carlos Soltero, about his experiences in both courts. Carlos offers
It’s difficult for new lawyers to transition into legal practice, but appellate practice is especially tough. This sometimes deters firms from investing the time and resources necessary to train new appellate attorneys, particularly when they are between law school and future clerkships. But M.C. Sungaila, head of the appellate practice group at Buchalter
With different court rules and practices being implemented in every state, lawyers do not necessarily encounter the same experience in general. To discover how the Oklahoma appellate law differs from Texas, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders sit down with lawyers Gabe Bass and Jana Knott. Together, they discuss the major contrasts of the field
For over a decade, the Texas Supreme Court has tightened the proof necessary to recover attorney fees in Texas. That, coupled with Legislative expansion of fee shifting, makes understanding the standard even more important. This is particularly true about appellate fees, which, unlike federal court, must be estimated and proven before the appeal. This week
Every other year, the Texas Legislature meets to take on the State’s challenges. Few people follow that process more closely that Jerry Bullard of Adams, Lynch, and Loftin. Jerry’s years of experience and newsletter keep legal practitioners throughout the state on top of bills and laws that affect the way they practice. In his spare
While some counties have many district courts, some district courts have many counties. Few judges have a larger territory to cover than Judge Roy Ferguson author of the 394th District Court. Given the size of his district, with few local attorneys, Judge Ferguson served as one of the early adopters of remote proceedings when
Growing up in meager circumstances, Judge Don Willett never imagined he would serve as the Tweeter Laureate of Texas or, more notably, as a justice on the Texas Supreme Court and now on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Willett credits his rise to the work ethic and sacrifices of his mother—a widow who worked long hours as
Although private civil appellate practice can be its own niche, there are many ways to do it—solo or in a boutique, mid-sized firm, or large firm. While the basics remain the same, the individual experience may vary greatly depending on the practice setting. Todd Smith and Jody Sanders sit down with Reagan Simpson of Yetter Coleman LLP to compare
Legal writing and literary writing share a common goal—telling stories in a way that engages the reader. But too often, legal briefs get bogged down in detail and technical language. This causes the brief to lose both the story and the reader. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders talk with appellate attorney Jason
For years, appellate attorneys and judges have stayed on top of the latest appellate news with the How Appealing blog. Howard Bashman, the attorney behind the blog, joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to share his journey into appellate law and starting his blog. Howard’s career has seen the full spectrum, starting as a