California · Appellate Practice
Best Appellate Practice Attorneys in California
269 California attorneys list appellate practice in their official bar profile. They are ranked below by the objective public record — federal court activity first, then years admitted — and every listing is in active good standing per the State Bar of California. This is not a paid placement or a rating of skill.
Ranked appellate practice attorneys in California
Michael Munroe Berger
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 43228
- Admitted
- 1969 · 57 yrs
- Law school
- Usc Law School; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP
Jay-Allen Eisen
Sacramento, CA
- Bar #
- 42788
- Admitted
- 1969 · 57 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Hastings Col; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Downey Brand LLP
Gary Steven Garfinkle
Lafayette, CA
- Bar #
- 44704
- Admitted
- 1969 · 57 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Berkeley Sol; Berkeley Ca
- Firm
- Gary Garfinkle
Joseph Garrett Baxter
Occidental, CA
- Bar #
- 52205
- Admitted
- 1972 · 54 yrs
- Law school
- Georgetown Univ Law Ctr; Washington Dc
- Firm
- Law Offices of Joseph Baxter Apc
Brian Blakely Beckwith
Palo Alto, CA
- Bar #
- 52210
- Admitted
- 1972 · 54 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Hastings Col; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Law Office of Brian Beckwith
Robin Meadow
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 51126
- Admitted
- 1972 · 54 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Berkeley Sol; Berkeley Ca
- Firm
- Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP
Wendy Cole Lascher
Ventura, CA
- Bar #
- 58648
- Admitted
- 1973 · 53 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of Michigan Law Sch; Ann Arbor Mi
- Firm
- Ferguson Case Orr Paterson LLP
James Patrick Wagoner
Fresno, CA
- Bar #
- 58553
- Admitted
- 1973 · 53 yrs
- Law school
- Santa Clara Univ Sol; Santa Clara Ca
- Firm
- McCormick Barstow Et Al LLP
Alan Charles Dell'Ario
Napa, CA
- Bar #
- 60955
- Admitted
- 1974 · 52 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Hastings Col; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Law Office of A. Charles Dell'Ario
Eric Stephen Multhaup
Mill Valley, CA
- Bar #
- 62217
- Admitted
- 1974 · 52 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Berkeley Sol; Berkeley Ca
Norman Howard Pine
Sherman Oaks, CA
- Bar #
- 67144
- Admitted
- 1975 · 51 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Berkeley Sol; Berkeley Ca
- Firm
- Pine Tillett LLP
Edward Stephen Temko
San Luis Obispo, CA
- Bar #
- 67785
- Admitted
- 1975 · 51 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of Denver Col; Denver Co
Charles Marriott Kagay
San Francisco, CA
- Bar #
- 73377
- Admitted
- 1976 · 50 yrs
- Law school
- Harvard Univ Law School; Cambridge Ma
- Firm
- Complex Appellate Litigation Group LLP
Jeralyn B Keller
Pasadena, CA
- Bar #
- 72565
- Admitted
- 1976 · 50 yrs
- Law school
- Loyola Law School; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Young & Young
Leslie Ellen Shear
Encino, CA
- Bar #
- 72623
- Admitted
- 1976 · 50 yrs
- Law school
- Ucla Sol; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Law Office of Leslie Ellen Shear
David Marcus Axelrad
Burbank, CA
- Bar #
- 75731
- Admitted
- 1977 · 49 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Hastings Col; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Horvitz & Levy LLP
Hall Randall Marston
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 77307
- Admitted
- 1977 · 49 yrs
- Law school
- Ucla Sol; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Law Offices of Hall R. Marston
Kenneth Michael Stern
Northridge, CA
- Bar #
- 82975
- Admitted
- 1978 · 48 yrs
- Law school
- Southwestern Univ Sol; Los Angeles Ca
David Albert Niddrie
San Diego, CA
- Bar #
- 89990
- Admitted
- 1979 · 47 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of San Diego Sol; San Diego Ca
- Firm
- Niddrie Addams Fuller Singh LLP
Harry W R Chamberlain II
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 95780
- Admitted
- 1980 · 46 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Hastings Col; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Buchalter LLP
Dolores Ann Dalton
Oakland, CA
- Bar #
- 94931
- Admitted
- 1980 · 46 yrs
- Law school
- U of San Francisco Sol; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Goldfarb & Lipman
Sat Karam Kaur Khalsa
Thousand Oaks, CA
- Bar #
- 94010
- Admitted
- 1980 · 46 yrs
- Law school
- Loyola Law School; Los Angeles Ca
Giacomo Anthony Russo
Palo Alto, CA
- Bar #
- 96068
- Admitted
- 1980 · 46 yrs
- Law school
- Ucla Sol; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Computerlaw Group LLP
Neil S. Tardiff
San Luis Obispo, CA
- Bar #
- 94350
- Admitted
- 1980 · 46 yrs
- Law school
- McGeorge Sol Univ of the Pacific; Ca
- Firm
- Tardiff Law Offices
Mitchell Cary Tilner
Burbank, CA
- Bar #
- 93023
- Admitted
- 1980 · 46 yrs
- Law school
- Loyola Law School; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Horvitz & Levy LLP
Fay Arfa
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 100143
- Admitted
- 1981 · 45 yrs
- Law school
- Southwestern Univ Sol; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Fay Arfa, A Law Corporation
Gerald Andrew Clausen
San Francisco, CA
- Bar #
- 99483
- Admitted
- 1981 · 45 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Hastings Col; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Law Office of Gerald Clausen
Anthony J. Dain
San Diego, CA
- Bar #
- 98947
- Admitted
- 1981 · 45 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of San Diego Sol; San Diego Ca
- Firm
- Procopio Cory Hargreaves & Savitch LLP
Marilee Marshall
Pasadena, CA
- Bar #
- 101046
- Admitted
- 1981 · 45 yrs
- Law school
- Ucla Sol; Los Angeles Ca
Gerald Philip Peters
Westlake Village, CA
- Bar #
- 101212
- Admitted
- 1981 · 45 yrs
- Law school
- Ucla Sol; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Law Office of Gerald Philip Peters
Walter K. Pyle
Berkeley, CA
- Bar #
- 98213
- Admitted
- 1981 · 45 yrs
- Law school
- Loyola Univ Sol; Chicago Il
Alison Sara Minet Adams
Studio City, CA
- Bar #
- 107475
- Admitted
- 1982 · 44 yrs
- Law school
- Loyola Law School; Los Angeles Ca
John Patrick Dwyer
San Francisco, CA
- Bar #
- 106860
- Admitted
- 1982 · 44 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Berkeley Sol; Berkeley Ca
- Firm
- Dwyer + Kim, LLP
Stuart Bruce Esner
Pasadena, CA
- Bar #
- 105666
- Admitted
- 1982 · 44 yrs
- Law school
- Loyola Law School; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Esner, Chang, Boyer & Murphy
Noreen Marie Evans
Santa Rosa, CA
- Bar #
- 102385
- Admitted
- 1982 · 44 yrs
- Law school
- McGeorge Sol Univ of the Pacific; Ca
- Firm
- Evans Kingsbury LLP
Joseph Peter Mascovich
Rocklin, CA
- Bar #
- 103167
- Admitted
- 1982 · 44 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Hastings Col; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Schroeder Schaff & Low, Inc.
Lann Gottesman McIntyre
San Diego, CA
- Bar #
- 106067
- Admitted
- 1982 · 44 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of San Diego Sol; San Diego Ca
- Firm
- Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith
Steven B. Stevens
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 106907
- Admitted
- 1982 · 44 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of Illinois Col; Champaign Il
- Firm
- Lew-Stevens, LLP
Jules Solomon Zeman
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 106693
- Admitted
- 1982 · 44 yrs
- Law school
- Temple Univ Sol; Philadelphia Pa
- Firm
- Husch Blackwell
Douglas Gordon Benedon
Woodland Hills, CA
- Bar #
- 110197
- Admitted
- 1983 · 43 yrs
- Law school
- McGill Univ; Canada
- Firm
- Benedon & Serlin, LLP
Robert M Dato
Irvine, CA
- Bar #
- 110408
- Admitted
- 1983 · 43 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of San Diego Sol; San Diego Ca
- Firm
- Buchalter LLP
Melinda W. Ebelhar
Woodland Hills, CA
- Bar #
- 112173
- Admitted
- 1983 · 43 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Berkeley Sol; Berkeley Ca
- Firm
- Benedon & Serlin LLP
Jonathan Douglas Fink
Newport Beach, CA
- Bar #
- 110615
- Admitted
- 1983 · 43 yrs
- Law school
- Boston Univ Sol; Boston Ma
- Firm
- Wright Finlay & Zak
Christopher Damian Lockwood
San Bernrdno, CA
- Bar #
- 110853
- Admitted
- 1983 · 43 yrs
- Law school
- Loyola Law School; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Arias & Lockwood, Aplc
James Christian Nielsen
San Rafael, CA
- Bar #
- 111889
- Admitted
- 1983 · 43 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of Virginia Sol; Charlottesville Va
- Firm
- Nielsen Katibah LLP
Brian C. Unitt
Riverside, CA
- Bar #
- 109453
- Admitted
- 1983 · 43 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Davis Sol King Hall; Davis Ca
- Firm
- Law Office of Brian C. Unitt
Douglas Joseph Collodel
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 112797
- Admitted
- 1984 · 42 yrs
- Law school
- McGeorge Sol Univ of the Pacific; Ca
- Firm
- Clyde & Co Us LLP
Thomas Harvey Keeling
Stockton, CA
- Bar #
- 114979
- Admitted
- 1984 · 42 yrs
- Law school
- Stanford Univ Law School; Stanford Ca
- Firm
- Freeman Firm
Lance David Orloff
Irvine, CA
- Bar #
- 116070
- Admitted
- 1984 · 42 yrs
- Law school
- Loyola Law School; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Grant Genovese Et Al LLP
Catherine Amy Rivlin
San Francisco, CA
- Bar #
- 115210
- Admitted
- 1984 · 42 yrs
- Law school
- Uc Hastings Col; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Ofc Attorney General
Robert Alex Roth
San Francisco, CA
- Bar #
- 113201
- Admitted
- 1984 · 42 yrs
- Law school
- Depaul Univ Col; Chicago Il
- Firm
- Complex Appellate Litigation Group
Stephen Michael Caine
Santa Monica, CA
- Bar #
- 119590
- Admitted
- 1985 · 41 yrs
- Law school
- Pepperdine Univ Sol; Malibu Ca
- Firm
- Wood Smith Henning & Berman, LLP
Jeffrey Isaac Ehrlich
Claremont, CA
- Bar #
- 117931
- Admitted
- 1985 · 41 yrs
- Law school
- Harvard Univ Law School; Cambridge Ma
- Firm
- Ehrlich Law Firm, Apc
Gregory Russell Ellis
Los Angeles, CA
- Bar #
- 121705
- Admitted
- 1985 · 41 yrs
- Law school
- Ucla Sol; Los Angeles Ca
- Firm
- Complex Appellate Litigation Group
Thomas Patrick Murphy
Saratoga, CA
- Bar #
- 121251
- Admitted
- 1985 · 41 yrs
- Law school
- Santa Clara Univ Sol; Santa Clara Ca
Kimball J. P. Sargeant
Davis, CA
- Bar #
- 119130
- Admitted
- 1985 · 41 yrs
- Law school
- Gonzaga Univ Sol; Spokane Wa
- Firm
- Law Offices of Kimball J.p. Sargeant
John Linson Dodd
Tustin, CA
- Bar #
- 126729
- Admitted
- 1986 · 40 yrs
- Law school
- Western State Univ Col; Fullerton Ca
- Firm
- John L. Dodd & Associates, Prof. Corp
Herb Fox
Santa Barbara, CA
- Bar #
- 126747
- Admitted
- 1986 · 40 yrs
- Law school
- Golden Gate Univ Sol; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Law Ofc Herb Fox
Peggy Ann Headley
Truckee, CA
- Bar #
- 127301
- Admitted
- 1986 · 40 yrs
- Law school
- Univ of Missouri Sol; Columbia Mo
- Firm
- Peggy A Headley
Paul Joseph Killion
San Francisco, CA
- Bar #
- 124550
- Admitted
- 1986 · 40 yrs
- Law school
- U of San Francisco Sol; San Francisco Ca
- Firm
- Duane Morris LLP
Ranking reflects the public record only (court-record activity + years admitted, active good standing). It is not a rating of competence, not a recommendation, and not legal advice. Confirm any attorney's current standing and fit before hiring.
Verify before you hire
Whoever you pick, confirm their record first. The California attorney lookup shows official license status and admission year, and California disciplinary actions lists the 2,678 attorneys currently disbarred or suspended of record. Every record links back to the official source.
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Frequently asked questions
How are these appellate practice attorneys ranked?
By the objective public record, not by who pays. Attorneys with a verifiable federal court footprint surface first, then by years admitted, and only attorneys in active good standing are listed. None of this is a rating of skill or a paid placement — it is a summary of the official record from the State Bar of California and federal court dockets.
How do I verify a California appellate practice attorney's license?
Open any listing to see their official license status, admission year, and disciplinary standing, or search a specific name or bar number on the California lookup page. The record comes straight from the State Bar of California.
Is this a lawyer referral service?
No. We do not take referral fees and we do not sell placement. This is a public-record directory ordered by objective court-record signals. Always confirm a lawyer's current standing and fit for your matter directly before hiring.
Data sources & last updated
- Licensing roster & status: State Bar of California. Published roster figure (2024 Digital Annual Report).
- Resident-attorney benchmark: ABA National Lawyer Population Survey 2024.
- Data on this page as of 2026-06-13 (last roster ingest).
This site republishes official public records and is not legal advice, a lawyer referral service, or a consumer reporting agency. Information here may not be used to make decisions about employment, tenancy, or credit (FCRA). Records are shown as published by their official sources and may contain errors or be out of date; consult the linked official source to verify. To correct or dispute a record, contact the licensing authority of record.