Footnotes in Briefs?
When I'm invited to speak to a group of lawyers about effective brief-writing, I'm often asked, "Should I use footnotes?" My answer: "Yes, but sparingly." Here's the problem. …
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M.A.T. Helps Get Reversal of $73 Million Judgment
Sandridge Partners was nailed by a Kings County jury for $73 million – the largest verdict in that county’s history – over a land deal that went bad. Reed Smith handled the appeal, but Moskovitz Appel…
M.A.T. Helps Lawyer Get a Reversal
About a year ago, Watsonville attorney Brian Liddicoat called us for help in with an appeal to the 6th District Court of Appeal, in San Jose. Brian represented a former student who was sued by a…
Using Cases
Lawyers tend to load their briefs with lots of cases to look impressive. The result can be an unreadable mess. Following certain principles can make your use of cases more effective. Lawyers often…
If It Ain't Clear, It Ain't There!
Suppose the following lead sentences appear in the statement of facts of an appellate brief. What's wrong with them? "On July 28, 2014, the trial court found for Mega Big Corporation (hereafter…
Win for Ardaiz
The March 30th Daily Journal, on page 1, reports that M.A.T. Team Member Jim Ardaiz was co-counsel in a trial that just resulted in a $25 million jury verdict for his client. Rio Mesa Holdings, LLC,…
Attacks on Opposing Counsel Can Undermine Your Credibility
I once picked up an opposing brief in an appeal I handled. My opponent made some good points, substantively. But the Justices might have trouble getting past his nasty tone. He called our…