Lawrence S. Ebner

Independent, Pro-Business, Flat-Fee Appellate Specialist With a Half-Century of Litigation Experience

Larry Ebner is an accomplished, steadfast advocate for individual businesses and entire industries in the Supreme Court, federal courts of appeals, and state appellate courts. Companies of all sizes, national trade associations, and free-enterprise public interest groups call upon Larry when they need an articulate voice in the nation’s appellate courts.

Larry began practicing law in 1972 following graduation from Harvard Law School and Dartmouth College. His first legal position was as an Honors Program attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He then spent 42 years as a Washington, D.C.-based litigator and appellate practice leader at a now-global  law firm. In 2016 Larry  launched his own independent, nationwide, appellate litigation boutique, Capital Appellate Advocacy PLLC.

Much of Larry’s practice focuses on appellate litigation involving federal law. This includes cases concerning interpretation or application of the Constitution, federal statutes, or federal  regulations; suits against the United States or federal departments or agencies; tort litigation relating to federally regulated or procured products or services; and federal civil justice issues from a business point of view.

Larry also serves as Executive Vice President & General Counsel of the Atlantic Legal Foundation, where he is responsible for all aspects of that national, nonprofit, public interest law firm’s renowned amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) program. Larry reviews requests for amicus support and personally drafts the Foundation’s amicus briefs, which focus on individual liberty, free enterprise, property rights, limited & responsible government, sound science in judicial & regulatory proceedings, and effective education, including parental rights and school choice.

Strategic Thinker With Finely Honed Brief-Writing & Oral Advocacy Skills

Clients and colleagues praise Larry for his analytical, brief-writing, and oral advocacy skills, and for approaching litigation and other client problems strategically.

Larry is a “hands on” attorney. There is no double or triple billing of clients with a multi-city hierarchy of partners and associates. Larry personally researches and writes his own legal briefs, and if helpful to a client, seamlessly coordinates with trial counsel at other firms.

Flexible

After decades of “Big Law” experience, Larry decided to practice law as an independent professional to better serve the needs of all types and sizes of corporations and nonprofit organizations. His solo-practice firm rarely encounters the conflicts of interest that often burden global mega-firms. Larry  sets his own flat-rate and hourly-rate fees, which are significantly lower than a large firm would charge for a senior partner with Larry’s level of knowledge, experience, and skills.

Devoted To, and Recognized By, the Legal Profession

Larry is a prolific writer and sought-after speaker on a broad range of legal subject. Some of his favorite topics include emerging civil litigation issues that affect free enterprise, individual liberty, or the federal administrative state; the role of appellate specialists in civil litigation; and preparation and use of amicus curiae briefs.

Larry’s primary volunteer professional activity is serving as Chair of the DRI Center for Law and Public Policy, which engages in advocacy and scholarship on behalf of DRI’s 16,000 civil litigation defense attorney members.

Larry has been inducted as one of approximately 350 Fellows of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, whose membership is reserved for highly skilled and experienced appellate advocates. He also has been chosen as one of approximately 1,200 peer-nominated and vetted Defense Counsel members of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, where he is a Vice Chair of the Appellate Law Section.

In recognition of his accomplishments, Thomson Reuters has selected Larry as a Washington, D.C. appellate litigation “Super Lawyer” for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Harvard Law School J.D. (1972)

Dartmouth College B.A., with honors, Phi Beta Kappa (1969)

Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers

Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel

• Vice Chair, Appellate Law Section

DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar

• Chair, Center for Law and Public Policy
• Past Chair, Amicus Committee
• Past Publications Chair, Appellate Advocacy Committee
• Former Director, Nat’l Foundation for Judicial Excellence

International Network of Boutique & Independent Law Firms

The Federalist Society

The Heritage Foundation

Republican National Lawyers Association

Dartmouth Lawyers Association

District of Columbia Bar

Courts

• Supreme Court of the United States
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
• U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia
• U. S. District Court for the District of Maryland