Professionals
- Brendan P. Biffany
- Demi Lorant Bostian
- Stephen M. Cox
- Hana M. Crandall
- Kevin R. Crandall
- Cary B. Davis
- R. Steven DeGeorge
- Jordan T. DeJaco
- Adam K. Doerr
- Stephen D. Feldman
- Robert W. Fuller
- Robert E. Harrington
- Edward F. Hennessey IV
- Mark A. Hiller
- Travis S. Hinman
- Douglas M. Jarrell
- Kate Gordon Maynard
- Timothy P. Misner
- Lawrence C. Moore III
- Clara Nieman
- Emma W. Perry
- J. Dickson Phillips III
- Caroline H. Reinwald
- Preetha Suresh Rini
- Matthew W. Sawchak
- Gregory L. Skidmore
- Garrett A. Steadman
- Andrew W.J. Tarr
- Anna Claire Tucker
- Andrew R. Wagner
- John R. Wester
- Ethan R. White
- Richard C. Worf
- David C. Wright III
- Julian H. Wright Jr.
- M. Bennett Wright
- Erik R. Zimmerman
Overview
Winning on appeal demands clear thinking and a tailored strategy. It also requires special skills. Today’s appellate courts expect — and reward — crisp writing and focused arguments.
The appellate team at Robinson Bradshaw has the experience that appellate work demands. We put our expertise to work in the U.S. Supreme Court, the federal appellate courts and state appellate courts in North and South Carolina. Our team includes:
- Two U.S. Supreme Court clerks,
- The most recent solicitor general of North Carolina,
- Dozens of former clerks for federal appellate judges,
- Newly minted clerks from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court,
- Two state bar-certified specialists in appellate practice,
- Multiple members and the former chair of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Appellate Rules Committee, and
- A former chair of the American Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Committee.
Robinson Bradshaw’s appellate team often serves as new or additional counsel on appeal. We help parties who have suffered an adverse result in an earlier court, as well as appellees who seek us out for our skills and experience. We also craft amicus briefs for clients with an interest in pending appeals, including appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Although most clients retain Robinson Bradshaw for the full life cycle of an appeal, our appellate engagements have a flexible scope. We often advise clients on whether an order is appealable and, if so, whether an appeal makes strategic sense. We also serve as pre-appeal advisers during trials and other proceedings that can generate later appeals. In these roles, our attorneys can offer a fresh and dispassionate perspective — a perspective that reflects our experience arguing before and clerking with appellate judges and justices.
Honors & Awards
- Best Law Firms, Charlotte Tier 1 for appellate practice, 2012-25; Raleigh Tier 1 for appellate practice, 2024-25
Experience
U.S. Supreme Court
Argued before the Supreme Court and oversaw the briefing in a dispute over the constitutional limits on the taxation of trusts. The Court’s opinion announced favorable new reasoning.
Successfully represented the plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court in Moore v. Harper, a case about the constitutional standards for congressional redistricting.
Defeated a petition for certiorari in a trade association’s freedom-of-association challenge to a state statute. The Court denied the petition after receiving our response.
Filed an amicus brief for a civil-rights organization on whether federal courts can decide claims of partisan gerrymandering.
Represented law professors as amici who supported the constitutionality of a federal statute that allows terror victims to execute on money judgments against Iran.
Filed an amicus brief for a policy organization on how the Fourth Amendment applies to military-style raids by police.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Successfully defended a state official against a constitutional challenge to a state statute that bans the corporate practice of law.
Secured the reversal of a judgment for almost $100 million in an insurance-contract dispute.
Defended a judgment that rejected antitrust and constitutional claims against a medical regulatory agency.
Represented a retail chain in an appeal from threshold decisions in a putative nationwide class action over employment practices.
Defended against individual shareholders’ lawsuits that challenged a merger between two national banks.
Secured the affirmance of a summary judgment in favor of a public hospital system in a lawsuit that alleged retaliation in violation of the First Amendment.
North Carolina Supreme Court
Represented the governor of North Carolina in expedited appeals in a dispute over ballot language for proposed state-constitutional amendments.
Won appellate reversal of a decision that reassigned the ownership of a multibillion-dollar utility. The state supreme court’s decision held that a recent statute violated the North Carolina Constitution.
Won an appeal for a technology company on the issue of personal jurisdiction in a business dispute.
Represented a former North Carolina governor and a former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court as friends of the court in a dispute over legislation that changed the composition of the state elections board.
Won an appeal in a scope-of-practice dispute between two state regulatory agencies.
Secured the affirmance of a summary judgment in favor of an apartment complex and waste-management company that challenged a city’s differential rates for landfill access.
Represented a statewide association of homebuilders as amici curiae in a dispute over municipalities’ authority to impose impact fees on builders and developers.
North Carolina Court of Appeals
Won an appellate reversal of a billion-dollar judgment in a class action over health-insurance coverage.
Secured the affirmance of a judgment in favor of a national general-contracting firm in a dispute involving novel questions of municipal law.
As new counsel on appeal in a departing-employee dispute, won partial reversal of a $10 million judgment that included a record award of attorney fees.
Defended a judgment that reversed an $11 million tax assessment against business owners.
Won the affirmance of a summary judgment in favor of hotel developers whose former employer sued them for alleged violations of non-solicitation provisions in their employment agreements.
On behalf of state legislators, filed an amicus brief that supported a challenge to the validity of a state constitutional amendment.
South Carolina Appellate Courts
Successfully represented a charter school in a challenge to the South Carolina Department of Revenue’s attempt to charge property taxes on the school’s leased campus.
Represented a national bank in an appeal that upheld the dismissal of shareholder claims against the bank and its directors.
Represented a regional retailer in a landmark shareholder dissent and appraisal lawsuit under the South Carolina Business Corporations Act.
Represented a business group as an amicus curiae before the South Carolina Supreme Court in a landmark case on the effect of employee handbooks.
Note: This list includes cases handled by members of the firm before they joined Robinson Bradshaw.
News & Events
News
- Nov. 20, 2024
- Nov. 8, 2024
- Nov. 6, 2024
- Oct. 22, 2024
- Sept. 17, 2024
- Aug. 15, 2024
- July 1, 2024
- June 27, 2024
- June 21, 2024
- June 5, 2024
- May 31, 2024
- May 13, 2024
- May 2, 2024
- April 29, 2024
- April 19, 2024
- March 25, 2024
- Feb. 29, 2024
- Jan. 16, 2024
- Jan. 10, 2024
- Jan. 8, 2024
- Dec. 14, 2023
- Nov. 30, 2023
- Nov. 15, 2023
- Nov. 6, 2023
- Sept. 22, 2023
- Aug. 17, 2023
- June 29, 2023
- June 27, 2023
- June 26, 2023
- June 7, 2023
- June 7, 2023
- June 6, 2023
- May 25, 2023
- May 23, 2023
- May 2, 2023
- April 3, 2023
- Jan. 20, 2023
- Jan. 12, 2023
- Dec. 27, 2022
- Dec. 10, 2022
- Nov. 4, 2022
- Nov. 3, 2022
- Oct. 27, 2022
- Oct. 21, 2022
- Aug. 23, 2022
- Aug. 4, 2022
- July 29, 2022
- June 2, 2022
- May 17, 2022
- May 5, 2022
- March 10, 2022
- Jan. 14, 2022
- Jan. 14, 2022
- Jan. 6, 2022
- Nov. 18, 2021
- Oct. 27, 2021
- Oct. 12, 2021
- Sept. 29, 2021
- Aug. 26, 2021
- Aug. 5, 2021
- July 29, 2021
- June 24, 2021
- June 22, 2021
- June 1, 2021
- May 19, 2021
- May 11, 2021
- May 4, 2021
- April 28, 2021
- April 20, 2021
- April 15, 2021
- April 14, 2021
- April 9, 2021
- March 15, 2021
- March 3, 2021
- Feb. 18, 2021
- Feb. 3, 2021
- Jan. 15, 2021
- Jan. 4, 2021
- Dec. 16, 2020
- Dec. 9, 2020
- Nov. 19, 2020
- Nov. 5, 2020
- Oct. 22, 2020
- Sept. 11, 2020
- Aug. 28, 2020
- Aug. 20, 2020
- July 23, 2020
- July 1, 2020
- June 30, 2020
- June 16, 2020
- June 12, 2020
- June 9, 2020
- June 3, 2020
- May 5, 2020
- April 13, 2020
- April 2, 2020
- April 1, 2020
- March 5, 2020
- Feb. 21, 2020
- Feb. 3, 2020
- Jan. 3, 2020
- Dec. 16, 2019
- Nov. 1, 2019
- Oct. 31, 2019
- Oct. 23, 2019
- Oct. 17, 2019
- Sept. 30, 2019
- Sept. 4, 2019
- Aug. 15, 2019
- Aug. 7, 2019
- Aug. 5, 2019
- July 17, 2019
- June 24, 2019
- April 2, 2019
- March 12, 2019
- March 1, 2019
- Jan. 28, 2019
- Jan. 14, 2019
- Jan. 7, 2019
- Jan. 2, 2019
- Nov. 16, 2018
- Nov. 1, 2018
- Oct. 24, 2018
- Aug. 23, 2018
- Aug. 15, 2018
- July 18, 2018
- July 16, 2018
- July 9, 2018
- July 3, 2018
- June 28, 2018
- June 26, 2018
- June 20, 2018
- Jan. 30, 2018
- Jan. 9, 2018
- Jan. 3, 2018
- Nov. 2, 2017
- Nov. 2, 2017
- Oct. 25, 2017
- Oct. 3, 2017
- Sept. 21, 2017
- Sept. 18, 2017
- Sept. 18, 2017
- Eight Named “Lawyer of the Year”Aug. 16, 2017
- Aug. 15, 2017
- July 20, 2017
- June 26, 2017
- June 22, 2017
- April 26, 2017
- March 2, 2017
Events
L. Richardson Preyer Federal Building
324 W. Market St.
Greensboro, NC 27401Jan. 24, 2025- Sept. 24, 2024
The Umstead
100 Woodland Pond Drive
Cary, NC 27513March 19, 2024North Carolina Bar Center
8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, NC 27513Feb. 26, 2024North Carolina Bar Center
8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, NC 27513March 31, 2023North Carolina Bar Center
8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, NC 27511March 31, 2023The Umstead
100 Woodland Pond Drive
Cary, NC 27513Jan. 26, 2023Byron's South End
101 W. Worthington Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28203Jan. 11, 2023N.C. State University Club
4200 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27606Nov. 9, 2022North Carolina Bar Center
8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, NC 27513Sept. 15, 2022North Carolina Bar Center
8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, NC 27513April 27, 2022Belmond Charleston Place
205 Meeting St.
Charleston, SC 29401Oct. 30, 2021Courtyard by Marriott Boston Downtown
275 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116Oct. 27, 2021Via webinar
June 4, 2021Via webinar
June 3, 2021Via webinar and in person at the North Carolina Bar Center
8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, NC 27513June 3-4, 2021Via webinar
Nov. 13, 2020Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
101 S. Tryon St., Suite 3500
Charlotte, NC 28280March 26, 2019The Inn on Biltmore Estate
1 Antler Hill Rd.
Asheville, NC 28803March 23, 2019The Umstead Hotel
100 Woodland Pond Drive
Cary, NC 27513April 16, 2018Court of Appeals of North Carolina
1 W. Morgan St.
Raleigh, NC 27601April 13, 2018Pinehurst Resort
80 Carolina Vista Drive
Pinehurst, NC 28374Feb. 15, 2018North Carolina State Bar
217 E. Edenton St.
Raleigh, NC 27601Feb. 15, 2018Elon School of Law
201 N. Greene St., Room 105
Greensboro, NC 27401Jan. 26, 2018Mecklenburg County Bar and Foundation Center
2850 Zebulon Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28208Jan. 10, 2018Chapel Hill Town Council
405 M.L.K. Jr. Blvd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514Dec. 14, 2017Bar and Foundation Center
2850 Zebulon Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28208Oct. 2, 2017North Carolina Bar Center
8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, NC 27513Sept. 15, 2017Temple Beth Or
5315 Creedmoor Road
Raleigh, NC 27612May 25, 2017Mecklenburg County Bar & Foundation Center
2850 Zebulon Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28208May 19, 2017
Insights
- June 6, 2024Class Actions Brief Blog
- April 1, 2024Class Actions Brief Blog
- Jan. 30, 2024Class Actions Brief Blog
- Sept. 11, 2023Class Actions Brief Blog
- Jan. 18, 2023Class Actions Brief Blog
- Dec. 5, 2022Class Actions Brief Blog
- Sept. 8, 2022Class Actions Brief Blog
- Aug. 26, 2022Law360
- Aug. 1, 2022Class Actions Brief Blog
- Sept. 9, 2021Class Actions Brief Blog
- July 6, 2021Class Actions Brief Blog
- March 30, 2021Class Actions Brief Blog
- Feb. 24, 2021Class Actions Brief Blog
- March 1, 2019Class Actions Brief Blog
- June 8, 2018Class Actions Brief Blog
- Feb. 28, 2018Class Actions Brief Blog
- Dec. 15, 2017The Charlotte Observer
- Aug. 31, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Aug. 23, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- July 7, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- June 13, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- April 24, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- April 7, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- March 10, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- March 2, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Feb. 24, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Feb. 21, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Feb. 17, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Feb. 9, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Feb. 3, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Jan. 17, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Jan. 3, 2017Class Actions Brief Blog
- Dec. 28, 2016Class Actions Brief Blog
- March 29, 2016Class Actions Brief Blog
- March 24, 2016Class Actions Brief Blog
- March 3, 2016The Constitutionalist, a North Carolina Bar Publication
- March 2016Per Curiam, NCBA Appellate Section Newsletter
- Dec. 16, 2015Class Actions Brief Blog
- Nov. 3, 2015Class Actions Brief Blog
- Sept. 16, 2015Class Actions Brief Blog
- Sept. 15, 2015Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Fall 2015The Appellate Quarterly
- Fall 2015The Appellate Quarterly
- Aug. 18, 2015Class Actions Brief Blog
- June 9, 2015Class Actions Brief Blog
- May 12, 2015Class Actions Brief Blog
- 2015109 Northwestern University Law Review 285
- Nov. 4, 2014Class Actions Brief Blog
- Recalibrating 'Substantial Foreclosure' at Summary Judgment: An Analysis of the Fourth Circuit's Approach to Exclusive Dealing Contracts in Kolon IISept. 12, 2014Antitrust & Complex Business Dispute News, a newsletter from the NCBA
- Fourth Circuit Exercises Pendent Appellate Jurisdiction to Revive Dismissed Class Action AllegationsWinter 2014The Appellate Quarterly
- Nov. 26, 2013Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- D.C. Circuit Uses Mandamus to Force Federal Agency to Comply with Congressional Mandate, Regardless of Availability of FundingFall 2013The Appellate Quarterly
- Fourth Circuit Deems Voluntary Dismissal to be with Prejudice to Exercise Appellate JurisdictionFall 2013The Appellate Quarterly
- Feb. 17, 2012Charlotte Business Journal