Appeals

Why MZS? Experienced Advocacy.

At MZS we have over twenty years of experience litigating appeals before the Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Courts. We also have significant experience litigating in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as administrative appeals in the Connecticut Superior Courts. We initiate or defend appeals on behalf of businesses, municipalities, and individuals, in a broad range of areas, including contract, land use/zoning, family law, municipal law, and probate. The multidisciplinary approach our firm provides allows us to bring knowledge and expertise from diverse practice areas to bear on each appeal we handle. A mastery of the substantive law at issue on the appeal, combined with skilled written and oral advocacy, makes for a winning combination, and MZS lawyers have prevailed in numerous appeals before the Connecticut appellate courts.

Having a dedicated appellate practice within the firm is a valuable resource that greatly benefits all our clients. We can address with efficiency and confidence any potential appellate issue or complex legal question that arises during a trial, over the course of a commercial transaction, or during an administrative proceeding. Appellate advocacy involves a unique skill set, one that emphasizes the ability to analyze and understand subtle legal distinctions, conduct careful and focused research, and provide persuasive written and oral presentations to a knowledgeable and sophisticated appellate court. We appear regularly before the Connecticut appellate courts and are well-known and respected by judges for our professionalism, integrity, strong advocacy, and preparedness.

In addition to handling appeals in cases our own litigators have tried, we prepare appeals for trial attorneys from other firms who do not have the resources or the capability to handle the appeal themselves, and who recognize that mounting an appeal requires a very different set of skills than trying a case does. Our experienced, innovative appellate lawyers can bring a fresh perspective to a case, while also providing an objective assessment of its merits, and help you to identify potential winning arguments, including points you may not even have considered. In addition, MSZ Law is well-versed on Connecticut procedure, applicable standards of review, and the expectations and preferences of local appellate judges.

Appellate Services

Our appellate services include:

Appeals in Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Courts, and Second Circuit Court of Appeals

We bring or defend appeals on behalf of businesses, municipalities, and individuals, in a broad range of practice areas, including:

• Affordable Housing
• Attorney Grievance
• Commercial/Contract
• Family Law (divorce, post-marital dissolution)
• Foreclosure
• Land Use/Zoning
• Municipal Law
• Personal Injury
• Probate
• Securities
• Tax & Estates

We have briefed and/or argued well over 100 appeals before the Connecticut state and federal appellate courts.

Administrative Appeals

We handle appeals of zoning and land use matters in the Connecticut Superior Court. Our significant experience in municipal law, which includes years of representing and serving in local government, provides valuable practical knowledge and insight into the administrative process and allows us to employ a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach in every appeal we take on.

Appellate Consultation

We have been asked to consult during ongoing trials in which significant legal challenges or issues have been raised, advising trial counsel how to proceed with an eye toward a likely appeal in the case. We also handle appeals for busy trial attorneys seeking the skill and expertise of an appellate attorney who can identify factual and legal issues in a trial record that appellate judges may be particularly interested in, prepare a comprehensive well-written brief, and deliver a persuasive oral argument to a panel of judges.

For More Information

For more information on our Connecticut appellate services, we welcome you to contact us.