Supreme Court and Appellate

Our team is led by former US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar and features a deep bench of experienced appellate advocates, including a former Deputy Assistant Attorney General, a former Assistant to the Solicitor General, other high-ranking officials in the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and White House, and former clerks for Supreme Court Justices and federal judges. Collectively, we’ve argued 40 cases before the Supreme Court and hundreds of cases before federal courts of appeals.

From landmark constitutional questions and novel administrative law matters to cutting-edge issues in the technology sector, Cooley brings elite appellate advocacy to our clients’ toughest legal challenges. Our team’s victories span high-profile areas – including technology, financial regulation, intellectual property, administrative law, social media regulation and antitrust.

We’ve handled 190+ appeals in the last three years, regularly achieving success for our clients. This includes appeals and amicus briefs on important issues, involving LGBTQ+ equality, women’s rights and racial justice. Our team has a broad amicus practice and a successful track record of defeating petitions for review to protect a victory below.

Our appellate lawyers work hand in hand with trial teams to craft legal strategy, handle high-stakes motions, develop critical issues at trial and provide “appellate eyes” long before an appeal is filed – and sometimes even before litigation has commenced. This approach allows us to use our creativity and skill to shape winning arguments from the outset. We’re known for persuasive arguments, both on paper and in court, and often on seemingly impossible timelines. With extensive experience filing and opposing emergency motions, we thrive in the increasingly fast-paced environment of the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals.

We throw ourselves into must-win appeals and are fully committed to our clients, working to deeply understand their businesses and goals in litigation. We partner closely with in-house counsel and seamlessly leverage Cooley’s multidisciplinary bench to effectively advocate for our clients before an appellate audience. Our team is proud to present complex issues clearly and persuasively to maximize our chances of succeeding on appeal.