DRI Panel: Economics of Appellate Practice – Surviving, and Hopefully Thriving, as an Appellate Litigator

Vishal Shah, Wendy Lascher, Larry Ebner, Richard Wolff

On March 14 I had the privilege of moderating a lively and insightful panel on The Economics of Appellate Practice:  Surviving, and Hopefully Thriving, as an Appellate Litigator at the DRI Appellate Advocacy Seminar in Las Vegas. The three panelists – Wendy Cole Lascher , Partner at Ferguson Case Orr Patterson LLP, Ventura, California; Richard M. Wolff, Vice President-Complex Claims, AIG,  and Vishal H. Shah, Associate at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania–offered a variety of experience-based perspectives to the audience of more than 100 appellate specialists from around the United States. Topics covered included economic factors affecting engagement of appellate specialists when a case goes on appeal (and often before a case is appealed), and handling appellate matters in a cost-effective manner. The panel’s consensus was that in most cases, attorneys who specialize in appellate litigation bring considerable value to the management and resolution of appeals.