Practice Areas

• ADA Accessibility Compliance
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Appellate
• Business
• Construction
• Education Law
• Employment
• Employment Practices & Liability Insurance
• Environmental Law & Property Rights
• Healthcare
• Personal Injury
• Plaintiff Representation
• Premises Liability
• Products Liability
• Professional Liability
• Public Entities
• Real Estate

Appellate

Porter Scott carefully guides clients through the various phases of litigation, including the appellate process. The firm's attorneys offer expert representation in all aspects of civil appeals, in both state and federal court. Attorneys at the firm have successfully briefed and argued before the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the California Supreme Court, the First, Third, Fifth and Sixth District Courts of Appeal. We take pride in our ability to provide the highest quality appellate solutions for our clients. The combined experience of the firm's attorneys includes handling hundreds of appeals.

Porter Scott's highest profile appeal, which attracted national attention, involved representation of the Elk Grove Unified School District in the case Elk Grove Unified School District v. Michael Newdow. The plaintiff alleged that the recitation of the words "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance violated the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. The United States Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Newdow did not have standing in the matter. Porter Scott is representing the Rio Linda Unified School District in Mr. Newdow's latest case challenging the Pledge which is presently pending before the Ninth Circuit.

In addition to handling appeals in cases where we represented the client in the underlying matter, Porter Scott's appellate attorneys can also be specially retained to represent individuals and entities solely at the appellate level. Depending on the specific need, our appellate lawyers are available to consult on appellate strategy after trial, review the record and evaluate appellate options, or handle the entire appeal through oral argument if necessary.

Porter Scott has briefed and argued a wide variety of legal issues, including:

• Business Law
• Constitutional Law
• Civil Rights Litigation
• Liability of Public Employees and Public Bodies
• Professional Liability
• Personal Injury Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Employment Litigation
• Environmental Litigation
• Anti-slapp Matters
• Fair Labor Standards Act