Hiring an Appellate Attorney 101: 

1.   Make sure your Notice of Appeal has been properly filed. 

2.   Begin contacting appellate attorneys.  These are attorneys who have actual experience in perfecting and arguing appeals. 

3.   You should feel comfortable with your appellate attorney. Trust is important in the attorney-client relationship.  You should not retain someone you do not feel is competent to handle your appeal. Also, do not hire someone who constantly agrees with you.  No appeal is perfect and your appellate attorney should be able to explain to you the weaknesses in your case as well as its strengths. 

4.   Make sure you obtain copies of all the relevant documents in your appeal. Appellate attorneys are bound by the record in the lower court, and therefore an attorney cannot tell if you have valid appellate issues to raise in the appeal unless they look at the documents involved.  Beware of an appellate attorney who is willing to take your case before reviewing any documents in the case. 

5.   Make sure your appellate attorney provides you with a written retainer agreement.

Written by:   Alexandra Siskopoulos, Esq.

Telephone:   (646) 942-1798

Email:           [email protected] 

If you have a civil appeal or criminal appeal and would like to speak with an appellate attorney at Siskopoulos Law Firm, LLP, contact us at either (646) 942-1798 or (617) 959-1628.

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