About the Authors
THE LATE MITCHELL E. ABBOTT: Richards, Watson & Gershon, Los Angeles. A.B., 1972, University of California, Davis; J.D., 1975, University of Virginia. Certified Specialist, Appellate Law (State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization). Mr. Abbott was an appellate practitioner for over 40 years. Among his many cases were Marriage of Barnes (1987) 43 C3d 1371 and Centinela Hosp. Ass’n v City of Inglewood (1990) 225 CA3d 1586.
DAVID M. AXELRAD: Horvitz & Levy, LLP, Encino. B.A., 1972, Stanford University; J.D., 1977, University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. Mr. Axelrad is a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. An appellate lawyer exclusively since 1981, he is especially interested in appellate procedure and stays pending appeal. Among his many cases is J.C. Penney Cas. Ins. Co. v M.K. (1991) 52 C3d 1009.
LUCILLE Y. BACA: California Department of Transportation. B.A., 1985, University of California, San Diego (summa cum laude); J.D., 1988, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Ms. Baca is an Assistant Chief Counsel in the Bay Area Legal Office of the California Department of Transportation Legal Division, where she specializes in environmental, eminent domain, and inverse condemnation law. She has extensive appellate experience and has briefed and argued numerous appeals and writs throughout the state on behalf of the Department of Transportation in various areas of public entity law and liability. Among the cases she has handled is Locklin v City of Layfayette (1994) 7 C4th 327. Ms. Baca is also a member of the Department’s statewide Legal Division Appellate Committee.
THE HON. KATHLEEN M. BANKE: Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, First District. Before her appointment to the bench and elevation to the Court of Appeal, Judge Banke was a partner at Reed Smith LLP, where she specialized in civil appellate practice and was the leader of the firm’s Appellate Practice Group. Representing clients at all levels of the federal and state appellate courts, she was counsel of record or co-counsel on more than 200 appeals and writs. While in private practice, Judge Banke was a certified specialist in appellate law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. She was inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and was formerly an active member and remains a nonvoting member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Judge Banke has served as a practitioner-advisor in appellate advocacy at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and as an adjunct professor of law at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. She is the author of numerous articles on appellate practice. Judge Banke received her B.A. (with Honors) in 1974 from California State University (Sacramento) and her J.D. (Order of the Coif) in 1979 from the University of Colorado (Boulder).
MICHAEL M. BERGER: Berger & Norton, Santa Monica. Brandeis University (1960–1964); J.D., 1967, Washington University; LL.M., 1968, University of Southern California. A certified appellate specialist, Mr. Berger is a past president of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and has written and lectured extensively on appellate and property law matters. Among his best known cases are First English Evangelical Lutheran Church v County of Los Angeles (1987) 482 US 304, 107 S Ct 2378, and State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v Von der Lieth (1991) 54 C3d 1123.
THE HON. ELIHU M. BERLE: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. B.A., 1965, Brooklyn College; M.B.A., 1966, University of Pennsylvania; J.D., 1969, Columbia University. Judge Berle has presided in central civil fast track and criminal courts departments, and has sat on assignment as justice pro tempore of the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District. Before his appointment to the bench, Judge Berle was in the private practice of law specializing in civil litigation and appellate law.
ELLIOT L. BIEN: Bien & Summers, San Rafael. A.B., 1967, Columbia College; J.D., 1971, Columbia University; LL.M., 1972, Harvard Law School. Assistant Professor of Law, DePaul University, 1972–1975. After leaving academia, Mr. Bien has limited his private practice to civil appeals since 1982. He is a past president of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, founder and first chairman of the Committee on Appellate Courts (now the Appellate Practice Section) of the Bar Association of San Francisco, and a State Bar certified appellate specialist. Mr. Bien has written and lectured frequently on both appellate practice and legal professionalism. His article Toward a Community of Professionalism, 3 Journal of Appellate Practice & Process 475 (Fall 2001), stimulated professionalism programs at the First and Fourth District Courts of Appeal. His most recent publication is Officers of a Court Do Not Plagiarize, 27 Cal Litig (2014).
RAYMOND A. CARDOZO: Reed Smith Crosby Heafey, San Francisco. B.A., 1989, Williams College; J.D., 1994, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Mr. Cardozo has handled over 100 criminal and civil appeals and writs. He has taught moot court at UC Berkeley’s School of Law and written a number of articles on appellate practice. Among his many cases are People v Blakeley (2000) 23 C4th 82 and People v Brown (1999) 75 CA4th 916.
EFRAT M. COGAN: Buchalter Nemer, PLC, Los Angeles. Ms. Cogan is senior counsel in Buchalter Nemer’s Los Angeles office, where she is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Appellate Practice Groups. Ms. Cogan specializes in complex commercial litigation and contract disputes, real estate and construction, copyright and unfair competition, class actions, professional liability, and constitutional law. She is a Certified Specialist in Appellate Law (State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization) and has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer. She received her B.A. in 1984 from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her J.D. (Order of the Coif) in 1987 from the University of Southern California, where she was articles editor of the law review.
ROBERT M. DATO: Buchalter Nemer, Irvine. B.A., 1980, San Diego State University; J.D., 1983, University of San Diego. A former research attorney to Presiding Justice David Sills, Fourth Appellate District, Division 3, and occasional writ attorney for the court, Mr. Dato is a certified appellate specialist and has argued numerous appeals in California as well as in New York, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and elsewhere. Among his notable cases are Jarrow Formulas, Inc. v LaMarche (2003) 31 C4th 728; Cedars-Sinai Med. Ctr. v Superior Court (1998) 18 C4th 1; and Cohn v Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (2008) 169 CA4th 523.
PETER W. DAVIS: Reed Smith Crosby Heafey, Oakland. B.S., 1965, University of Oregon; J.D., 1969, University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. A past President of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, and Chair of the Ninth Circuit Advisory Committee on Rules of Practice and Internal Operating Procedures, Mr. Davis has specialized in appellate practice for over 20 years and has handled more than 400 appeals and writs. He has written and lectured extensively on appellate issues and taught appellate advocacy at UC College of the Law and at Santa Clara Law School.
PAUL D. FOGEL: Reed Smith Crosby Heafey, San Francisco. A.B., 1971, University of California, Berkeley; J.D., 1976, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. Fulbright Fellow in American Law, University of Paris, France, 1979–1980. Senior Staff attorney to California Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird, 1983–1987. Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Member, California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Ninth Circuit Rules Committee, and California Appellate Rules Task Force. Certified Specialist in Appellate Law. Past Chair, Appellate Practice Section, Bar Association of San Francisco, State Bar Committee on Appellate Courts. Mr. Fogel specializes in appeals, writs, and posttrial motions.
JOSE H. GARCIA: Acer Legal Group, San Jose. B.A., 1978, and J.D., 1985, Loyola University of Los Angeles. Mr. Garcia specializes in appellate practice and has contributed to numerous programs. Among his many cases are Ramirez v Plough, Inc. (1993) 6 C4th 539 and Evangelatos v Superior Court (1988) 44 C3d 1188.
JAMES R. GOFF: Orange. A.B., 1962, and J.D., 1965, University of Southern California. Mr. Goff was a senior attorney to Presiding Justice Robert Gardner (ret.), Fourth Appellate District, Division 2, and is a certified specialist in appellate law, specializing in all aspects of civil appellate litigation. Among his many cases is Secrest Machine Corp. v Superior Court (1983) 33 C3d 664.
THE LATE RONALD M. GREENBERG: Of Counsel, Berkes Crane Robinson & Seal LLP. A.B., 1961, University of Michigan; LL.B., 1964, Stanford University. Mr. Greenberg handled many appeals, including Moor v County of Alameda (1973) 411 US 693, 93 S Ct 1785. He was the 1995 recipient of the “World Lawyer Award” from the World Jurist Association and has contributed to numerous publications and programs.
HARVEY M. GROSSMAN: Los Angeles. A.B., 1951, and LL.B., 1954, University of California, Los Angeles. A former clerk to the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, Mr. Grossman has contributed to all three editions of California Civil Appellate Practice. He is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
BLAIR HOFFMAN: Staff Attorney, California Supreme Court. B.A., 1971, University of California, Santa Barbara; J.D., 1974, University of California, Davis. Before working for the state supreme court, Mr. Hoffman was a deputy attorney general specializing in appeals. Among his many cases as deputy attorney general are Davis v Municipal Court (1988) 46 C3d 64 and Barker v Estelle (9th Cir 1990) 913 F2d 1433.
DANIEL WEBB HOWARD: Gleaves, Swearingen, Potter & Scott, Eugene, Oregon. B.A., 1996, Ohio State University; J.D., 2000, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Mr. Howard is a member of both the California and Oregon bars. Appellate matters have constituted a significant portion of his practice since his admission to the California bar in 2000.
CHRISTINA J. IMRE: Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold, Los Angeles. B.A., 1972, Mount St. Mary’s College; M.A., 1974, University of Notre Dame; J.D., 1980, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Besides handling many civil appeals, Ms. Imre has served as a trial consultant in numerous cases in anticipation of appeal. She has also written and lectured extensively on appellate and insurance-related matters.
BRENDON ISHIKAWA: California Court of Appeal, Third District, Lead Attorney (Chambers of Associate Justice Andrea Lynn Hoch). Mr. Ishikawa received his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and his J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. He is certified as an appellate specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Before working at the Court of Appeal, Mr. Ishikawa provided representation in civil appeals and served as an appellate mediator. He currently serves on the Appellate Mediation Committee at the California Court of Appeal, Third District, and regularly teaches appellate mediation skills. He is the author of Ishikawa, Crafting Effective Settlement Agreements: A Guidebook for Attorneys and Mediators (ABA Publishing 2018); and Ishikawa & Curtis, Appellate Mediation: A Guidebook for Attorneys and Mediators (ABA Publishing 2016).
ELLEN LAKE: Ellen Lake Law Offices, Oakland. B.A., 1966, Radcliffe College; J.D., 1970, Case Western Reserve University. A former clerk to California Supreme Court Associate Justice Raymond L. Sullivan, Ms. Lake is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Among her best known cases are Gentry v Superior Court (2007) 42 C4th 443; Bonanno v Central Contra Costa Transit Auth. (2003) 30 C4th 139; Richards v CH2M Hill, Inc. (2001) 26 C4th 798; and Hodges v Superior Court (1999) 21 C4th 109.
JACQUES LeBOEUF: Law Offices of A. Charles Dell’Ario, Oakland. B.A., 1987, Brown University; J.D., 1992, Northwestern University School of Law. Mr. LeBoeuf has specialized in civil appeals and writs, writing several dozen appellate briefs on topics ranging from civil rights and employment discrimination to stolen artwork and unexplained disappearances from trains. He has written and lectured on constitutional law, the appellate process, and legal writing, and served as co-chair of the Alameda County Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section.
JAMES C. MARTIN: Reed Smith, LLP, Los Angeles. B.A., 1974, Colorado College; J.D., 1978, University of Santa Clara. Mr. Martin is a Fellow and Director in the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and a member and former president of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He is certified as a specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization.
JOSEPH P. MASCOVICH: Chair of Appellate Practice Group, Miller Law Group. A.B., 1977, University of California, Berkeley; J.D., 1980, University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. Mr. Mascovich has specialized in civil appeals and writs for the last 25 years and has taught appellate advocacy at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Among his recent published cases are Southern Cal. Regional Rail Auth. v Superior Court (2008) 163 CA4th 712 and Wells Fargo Bank v Superior Court (2008) 159 CA4th 381.
GAIL Y. NORTON: Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley, San Francisco. B.A., 1973, University of California, Berkeley; London School of Economics and Political Science; J.D., 1977, University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. A practitioner since 1977 and an appellate specialist since 1982, Ms. Norton has contributed to numerous panels on the subject. Among her many published appellate cases is Regents of Univ. of Cal. v Superior Court (Roettgen) (1996) 41 CA4th 1040.
T. PETER PIERCE: Richards, Watson & Gershon, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Mr. Pierce is certified as a specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He has represented public agencies and other clients before the United States Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the California Court of Appeal, and various trial courts at the federal and state levels. Mr. Pierce received his A.B. from Cornell University in 1986, his M.S. from Syracuse University in 1987, and his J.D. from Tulane Law School in 1992.
WILLIAM T. RINTALA: Rintala, Smoot, Jaenicke & Rees, LLP, Los Angeles. A.B., 1961, Stanford University; J.D., 1967, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. A former clerk to Justice Draper (ret.), First Appellate District, Mr. Rintala specializes in business litigation and appeals, and has contributed to numerous programs and publications. Among his many cases are Crawford v Board of Educ. (1976) 17 C3d 280 and Trust Co. Bank v MGM/UA Entertainment Co. (11th Cir 1985) 772 F2d 740.
THE LATE HON. GEORGE P. SCHIAVELLI: B.A., 1970, Stanford University; J.D. 1974, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. Judge Schiavelli was a member of the appellate group of Reed Smith Crosby Heafey, Los Angeles. He was affiliated with Alternative Resolution Centers as an arbitrator and mediator in a broad range of commercial disputes and was also a member of the California Judicial Council Appellate Advisory Committee. From 1994 to 2000, Judge Schiavelli was a superior court judge in the County of Los Angeles and was presiding judge of the appellate division from 1999 to 2000. Judge Schiavelli also served on numerous program panels for CEB and other organizations.
ARTHUR E. SCHWIMMER: Los Angeles. A.B., 1961, Columbia University; LL.B., 1964, Brooklyn Law School. A past President of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, and a member of the Judicial Council Advisory Committee to Implement Proposition 32, which drafted new rules for the California Supreme Court, Mr. Schwimmer specializes in civil appeals. In the course of his career, he has lectured and written extensively on appellate practice. Among his many cases are Weiner v Fleishman (1991) 54 C3d 476 and West Covina Hosp. v Superior Court (1986) 41 C3d 846.
JOCELYN SPERLING: Bien & Summers, Berkeley. B.A., 1994, Duke University (magna cum laude). J.D., 2000, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law (Law Review Editor, Order of the Coif). Before joining Bien & Summers, Ms. Sperling had extensive appellate experience as a Staff Attorney at the Ninth Circuit and previously as a law clerk for Ninth Circuit Judge Richard A. Paez. She also gained useful familiarity with the trial court process as a Legal Research Attorney at the Alameda County Superior Court and as a litigation associate at Traber & Voorhees in Pasadena. While at that firm she was recognized as a “Rising Star” by Southern California Super Lawyers. Since joining Bien & Summers, she has handled a wide variety of civil appellate matters in both state and federal courts.
E. ELIZABETH SUMMERS: Bien & Summers, LLP, San Francisco (retired). B.A., 1964, Stanford University; J.D., 1974, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. A member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and founder of the Appellate Practice Section, Alameda County Bar Association, Ms. Summers has specialized in civil appeals and writs for 15 years. She has written and spoken frequently on subjects related to appellate practice. Among her better known cases are Urbaniak v Newton (1991) 226 CA3d 1128 and Eddy v Sharp (1988) 199 CA3d 858.
MARY-CHRISTINE (M.C.) SUNGAILA: B.A., 1988, Stanford University; J.D., 1991, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. An appellate partner at Snell & Wilmer in Orange County, California, Ms. Sungaila has successfully briefed and argued appeals raising cutting-edge and core business issues, and women’s and human rights issues statewide as well as nationally and internationally. Her practice also includes consulting at trial and serving as part of the extended trial team focused on preserving the record for appeal and maximizing the chances of prevailing at trial. She has repeatedly been named a Notable Appellate Practitioner in California by Chambers U.S.A. and one of California’s Top Women Lawyers by the Daily Journal. In 2015, she received a CLAY award for a groundbreaking win before the California Supreme Court.
ROY G. WEATHERUP: Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP, Los Angeles. A.B., 1968, and J.D., 1972, Stanford University. A member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and the BAJI committee responsible for producing the “Approved Jury Instructions,” Mr. Weatherup specializes in appellate practice on which he has lectured extensively. He has been responsible for more than 1,000 appellate briefs in over 700 cases, resulting in more than 150 published opinions. Among his many cases are Moradi-Shalal v Fireman’s Fund Ins. Cos. (1988) 46 C3d 287 and Sindell v Abbott Labs. (1980) 26 C3d 588.
About the 2023 Update Authors
DAVID M. AXELRAD: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Now a partner with Horvitz & Levy, Los Angeles, Mr. Axelrad is the author of chapter 6.
MICHAEL M. BERGER: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Now a senior counsel with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, Los Angeles, Mr. Berger is the author of chapter 2A.
ELLIOT L. BIEN: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Mr. Bien is a co-author of chapter 3.
SUSAN BRANDT-HAWLEY: Brandt-Hawley Law Group, Glen Ellen and San Francisco. A.B., 1974, San Diego State University; J.D., 1977, University of California, Davis, School of Law. Ms. Brandt-Hawley represents public-interest groups in environmental preservation issues statewide, with a focus on historic resources. She is a member and past president of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. For over 20 years, Ms. Brandt-Hawley has served as invited co-faculty in 2-day intensive programs on the California Environmental Quality Act through the Center for Judicial Education and Research and the California Judicial Studies Program. Ms. Brandt-Hawley provided assistance with chapter 1.
MICHAEL G. COLANTUONO: Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, Grass Valley. B.A., magna cum laude, 1983, Harvard University; J.D., 1988, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Mr. Colantuono is certified by the California State Bar as a Specialist in Appellate Law. He has appeared in the California Supreme Court, arguing 16 cases there since 2004, and in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, all six California District Courts of Appeal, and in trial courts around California. He is a former President of the California State Bar, current President of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, and serves on the Appellate Advisory Committee to the California Judicial Council. Mr. Colantuono provided assistance with chapters 7 and 9.
ROBERT M. DATO: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Mr. Dato is a co-author of chapters 10, 12, and 18.
BLAINE H. EVANSON: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Orange County and Los Angeles. B.S., 2003, Brigham Young University; J.D., 2006, Columbia Law School. Mr. Evanson has briefed and argued dozens of appeals in California and throughout the nation, in a wide variety of subject matter areas. He is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, he previously served as a law clerk for Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and he has taught courses in constitutional law and appellate advocacy at the University of Southern California; University of California, Irvine; and Brigham Young University law schools. Mr. Evanson provided assistance with chapter 5.
BEN FEUER: Complex Appellate Litigation Group, San Francisco. B.A., 2002, Trinity College; J.D. with honors, 2006, Northwestern University School of Law. Mr. Feuer is Chairman of the Complex Appellate Litigation Group. Before joining the Complex Appellate Litigation Group, he practiced with Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and Williams & Connolly. Mr. Feuer also clerked for Carlos Bea of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Feuer is a former chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco Appellate Section. Mr. Feuer provided assistance with chapter 20.
REX HEINKE: Complex Appellate Litigation Group, Los Angeles. B.A., 1971, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg; J.D., 1975, Columbia University. Mr. Heinke is a partner with the Complex Appellate Litigation Group. Before joining the Complex Appellate Litigation Group, Mr. Heinke was the longtime co-chair of the Appellate and Supreme Court practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. He has argued nearly 175 appeals in state and federal courts in California and throughout the nation. Mr. Heinke is a past president of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Mr. Heinke provided assistance with chapter 20.
CHRISTOPHER HU: Horvitz & Levy LLP, San Francisco. A.B., magna cum laude, 2006, Brown University; J.D., 2014, Stanford Law School. Before joining Horvitz & Levy, Mr. Hu was an associate at Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP and the Moskovitz Appellate Team. He also served as a law clerk to Ninth Circuit Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw and Associate Justice Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court. He provided assistance with chapter 4.
BRENDON ISHIKAWA: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Mr. Ishikawa gratefully acknowledges Rene Ackerman, Mediation Program Administrator for the Appellate Mediation Program, California Court of Appeal, Third District, for her valuable assistance. Mr. Ishikawa is the author of chapter 15A.
KIRK JENKINS: Arnold & Porter, San Francisco. Mr. Jenkins received his A.B. from Harvard University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He is certified by the State Bar as an Appellate Specialist and is a past President of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Mr. Jenkins’ appellate practice focuses on antitrust and constitutional law, as well as products liability, RICO, price fixing, information sharing among competitors and class certification. Mr. Jenkins also writes two blogs about the application of data analytics to appellate decision-making: the California Supreme Court Review and the Illinois Supreme Court Review. Mr. Jenkins provided assistance with chapter 21.
PAUL R. JOHNSON: King & Spalding LLP, Los Angeles. B.A., 1981, Yale University; J.D., 1984, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Mr. Johnson is certified by the State Bar as a Specialist in Appellate Law, is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and was a past chair of the former Committee on Appellate Courts of State Bar of California. Besides civil appeals and writ petitions, his experience includes trials, legal issues for trial teams, posttrial motions, dispositive motions, and mass-litigation strategy. Among his cases is State ex rel Rapier v Encino Hosp. Med. Ctr. (Dec. 21, 2022, B302426, B303196) 2022 Cal App Lexis 1087. Mr. Johnson provided assistance with chapter 2.
ELLEN LAKE: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Ms. Lake is the author of chapter 13.
NICHOLAS MAHR: Senior Appellate Court Attorney, California Court of Appeal, Third District. B.A., 2002, University of California, Davis; J.D., 2007, University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Mr. Mahr provided assistance with chapter 14.
JAMES C. MARTIN: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Mr. Martin is a co-author of chapter 22 and the author of chapter 23.
JOSEPH P. MASCOVICH: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Mr. Mascovich is now Of Counsel at Pacific Employment Law LLP, San Francisco. He is the author of chapter 19.
JAMES C. NIELSEN: Nielsen Katibah LLP, San Rafael. B.A., 1980, University of California, Davis; J.D., 1983, University of Virginia School of Law. Mr. Nielsen is certified by the State Bar as a Specialist in Appellate Law and is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Mr. Nielsen has practiced for many years in civil appeals and insurance coverage litigation both in California and nationally. Among his many cases are Ringler Assocs. Inc. v Maryland Cas. Co. (2000) 80 CA4th 1165 and In re Daisy Sys. Corp. (9th Cir 1996) 97 F3d 1171. Mr. Nielsen provided assistance with chapter 15.
T. PETER PIERCE: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Mr. Pierce is a co-author of chapter 8.
SEAN M. SeLEGUE: Arnold & Porter, San Francisco. B.A., 1988, University of California, Los Angeles; J.D., 1991, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Mr. SeLegue is certified by the State Bar as a Specialist in Appellate Law. Mr. SeLegue is Secretary-Treasurer of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, and a former Chair of the State Bar of California. Mr. SeLegue clerked for Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 1991–92. He handles high-stakes business-related appeals in a wide variety of subject-matter areas, and his pro bono work has included notable LGBTQ civil rights cases. Mr. SeLegue provided assistance with chapter 16.
JOCELYN SPERLING: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Ms. Sperling is now Of Counsel with the Complex Appellate Litigation Group in San Francisco. She is a co-author of chapter 3.
MARY-CHRISTINE (M.C.) SUNGAILA: For biographical information, see About the Authors. Ms. Sungaila is now a partner with Complex Appellate Litigation Group in Newport Beach. She is the author of chapter 11.
BRIAN A. SUTHERLAND: Reed Smith, San Francisco. B.A., 1998, University of Iowa; J.D., 2006, New York University School of Law. Mr. Sutherland is certified by the State Bar as a Specialist in Appellate Law and is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Mr. Sutherland has argued more than 50 appeals in cases involving a wide range of constitutional, statutory, and class action–related issues, including cases arising under the First Amendment, anti-fraud statutes, the Bankruptcy Code, and environmental laws. Mr. Sutherland provided assistance with chapter 17.
