APPEALS
The entry of final judgment may feel like the end of the road for your case, but it is only the beginning if you choose to pursue an appeal. And even if you won before the trial court, you may find yourself dragged into an appeal by the losing party. In either case, Dineen can assist you in navigating the appellate process. Even the most accomplished trial counsel may not want to handle an appeal, and for good reason – the rules are different, and effective appellate advocacy is an entirely different skill set than effective presentation to a trial court. As a Florida Bar board certified expert in Appellate Practice, the DPW Legal Team has a deep understanding of the rules of appellate procedure, with all of their complexities and quirks.
Dineen and Jared have both served as co-chair of the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Appellate Practice section, and both hold leadership positions with the Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar. Dineen founded the Florida Appellate Procedure Blog, www.floridaappellate.com.
STATE COURT APPEALS
Do you have an appeal or potential appeal before one of Florida’s five District Courts of Appeal? Need to know if you can appeal a decision that the trial court made in the middle of your case? Have a bet-the-case issue that might be a good candidate for seeking interlocutory appeal or a writ of certiorari but don’t know where to start? Start by calling an appellate specialist. Dineen has extensive experience in all of these aspects of appellate procedure, and more.
Dineen can also assist in preparing your case for appeal. Don’t wait until the notice of appeal is due – call Dineen as soon as judgment is entered, and she can assist with preparing post-trial motions to help position your case in the best possible light for appeal. Better yet, call Dineen before trial, and she can serve as trial court support to assist in identifying and preserving error.
FEDERAL COURT APPEALS
Not just anyone can bring a Federal court appeal – each Circuit Court of Appeals requires attorneys to become a member of its bar before they can appear. And for good reason: the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure are complicated, and an entirely different animal from the civil procedure rules. Moreover, each Circuit has its own local rules, adding a further layer of complexity. Dineen clerked for the honorable Susan H. Black of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, a job that gave her deep insight into the inner workings of the Federal appellate courts, and the Eleventh Circuit – which covers Florida, Georgia, and Alabama – in particular. Dineen is admitted to practice before the First, Fourth, Ninth, Eleventh, Federal, and District of Columbia Circuits, as well as the United States Supreme Court.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY APPEALS
Dineen’s unique combination of appellate practice and intellectual property expertise makes her an ideal choice to assist with your copyright appeal, trademark appeal, or patent appeal. As an appellate specialist, Dineen can assist trial counsel in navigating the appellate rules, so that trial counsel can focus on analyzing the copyright, trademark, or patent issues rather than procedure. But because Dineen is also an expert in substantive intellectual property law, she can provide a fresh eye to the intellectual property issues without having to first come up to speed on the basics. Whether you want appellate co-counsel to work with lead trial counsel, or direct representation on appeal, Dineen can help.
