An appellate attorney must have the following skills in order to represent a client effectively:

• Organizational Skills — Appellate work revolves heavily around a paper record created in a trial court. This record frequently is composed of thousands of pages of trial transcripts and trial exhibits. The trial file will also have other materials that were not used at trial, but still contain important information about the case on appeal. Keeping all of these materials organized so that they are available when needed is central to an efficient and successful appeal. Finally, every step of the appeal must be organized around the schedule set by the court.
• Analytical Skills — An appellate attorney must be able to review the entire appellate record with an eye toward isolating those portions that reflect error which can be the basis for appellate arguments. This involves careful analytical skills, knowledge of the applicable law, as well as good judgment.
• Research Skills — Many people think that attorneys simply know automatically the correct answers to every legal question. Most attorneys will know the answers to basic or common legal questions. Other issues cannot (and should not) be addressed without careful research and thought. A good appellate attorney will know how to locate the correct answer in the many hard copy and online sources of legal information.
• Writing Skills — The first, and sometimes only, presentation of appellate arguments is made in appellate briefs. Briefs must be written clearly and logically so as to convey forcefully the client’s position on each issue while complying with all applicable court rules.
• Verbal/Speaking Skills — Advocating for the client does not necessarily end when the last brief is filed. The attorney must be able to present a client’s position orally to a panel of appellate judges, as well as respond to questions concerning his or her position.

Contact a New Jersey Appellate Court Lawyer

To learn more about choosing an effective appeals attorney, or to schedule a consultation to discuss your appeal, contact appellate attorney James S. Friedman in Newark, New Jersey. Call 866-484-1906 (toll free).