Celebrating Over 75 Years of Serving Nevada’s Legal, Business, Government, and Civic Communities

Appellate

Practice Areas

Rated Tier 1, Band 1, and Best Lawyers in Appellate Practice

McDonald Carano’s Appellate Practice includes defending the firm’s lower court victories, taking over for other law firms, and engagements from new clients when cases are appealed. The practice team consists of a highly regarded and experienced group of advocates who brief and argue dozens of cases every year in state and federal appellate courts. Our appellate team also assists McDonald Carano lawyers at the trial level, advising on dispositive motions and ensuring arguments are preserved for appeal.

The practice group is chaired by Adam Hosmer-Henner, a past chair of the Appellate Section of the State Bar of Nevada and a current member of the Commission on Nevada Rules of Appellate Procedure created by the Nevada Supreme Court. Adam is ranked in the highest Band 1 category in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. McDonald Carano’s Appellate Practice is ranked in the highest Tier 1 category by The Best Law Firms in America. This prominent ranking reflects our deep bench of appellate practitioners recognized by Best Lawyers, including Adam Hosmer-Henner, Pat Lundvall, Rory Kay, Chelsea Latino, Amanda Perach, Amanda Yen, Ryan Works, John Fortin, and Jane Susskind. John Fortin is also one of less than 50 attorneys nationwide recognized in the Appellate practice category in Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation.

Former Nevada Supreme Court Law Clerks – McDonald Carano’s Appellate Practice is further distinguished by the numerous former law clerks of the Nevada Supreme Court who are members of our firm, including Emily Dennis, John Fortin, Josh Hicks, Chelsea Latino, Zach Noland, Jane Susskind, and Katrina Weil. We also leverage our extensive and collective experience as judicial law clerks, externs and interns in other state and federal courts to develop appellate strategy and provide the highest caliber representation. The list of McDonald Carano attorneys who have served as law clerks, externs and interns is available as a PDF here.

McDonald Carano handles appeals at all levels of appellate court and administrative agency review. Our success spans the Nevada Supreme Court, California’s Court of Appeals, and the Federal Court of Appeals, in particular the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. McDonald Carano played an instrumental role in the formation of Nevada’s Court of Appeals and the concurrent overhaul of the Nevada Rules of Appellate Procedure. Our Reno and Las Vegas appellate attorneys also serve as authors of numerous chapters in the regularly updated Nevada Appellate Practice Manual.

Appellate Practice requires special skills, including insightful analysis of the issues, thorough research of the law, careful review of the factual record, persuasive brief writing, cogent oral argument, and knowledge of the rules. McDonald Carano’s appellate attorneys in Reno and Las Vegas have proven abilities in each of these areas to place our attorneys among the most experienced and qualified in Nevada. The practice of appellate law demands intellectual acuity and discipline to develop precision briefs and compelling arguments combined with the extensive knowledge and experience required to understand each appeals client’s unique matter. Our appellate team consistently delivers the exceptional writing, analytical acumen and oral advocacy skills needed to present our clients’ position in the most persuasive way possible.

 

Practice Area News

Top 2026 Topics Tracked by
Appellate Attorneys

On January 5, 2026, Law360 published its analysis of the key cases and issues being watched by appellate practitioners in 2026. John Fortin was interviewed and quoted in the section…

McDonald Carano Receives 24 “Tier 1” Practice Group Awards in Best Law Firms 2026

Tier 1 Practice Groups McDonald Carano proudly announces that 24 areas of expertise in our Reno and Las Vegas offices received the highest Tier 1 ranking in the 2026 edition…

26 Reno Office Lawyers Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2026

McDonald Carano proudly announces that 22 of our Reno office lawyers have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and four lawyers…

Our Appellate Group

Adam
Hosmer-Henner

Partner AppellateChair Direct775.326.4321 (Reno) Direct702.257.4571 (Las Vegas) V-Card PDF (Print)

Daniel I.
Aquino

Partner Direct702.257.4565 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Karyna
Armstrong

Attorney Direct702.257.4532 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Emily
Dennis

Attorney Direct702.257.4553 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

John A.
Fortin

Attorney Direct702.257.4556 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

John
Frankovich

Senior Counsel Direct Office775.788.2000 V-Card PDF (Print)

Kristen T.
Gallagher

Partner Direct702.873.9966 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Kiley
Harrison

Attorney Direct702.257.4525 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Thaddeus
Houston

Counsel Direct775.326.4384 Office775.788.2000 V-Card PDF (Print)

Rory
Kay

Partner Direct702.257.4515 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Chelsea
Latino

Partner Direct Office775.788.2000 V-Card PDF (Print)

Pat
Lundvall

Partner Direct702.257.4591 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Amanda M.
Perach

Partner Direct702.257.4535 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Aaron
Shipley

Partner Direct Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Laena
St-Jules

Counsel Direct775.326.4359 Office775.788.2000 V-Card PDF (Print)

Jane
Susskind

Attorney Direct775.326.4336 Office775.788.2000 V-Card PDF (Print)

Katrina
Weil

Attorney Direct775.326.4335 Office775.788.2000 V-Card PDF (Print)

Ryan J.
Works

Partner Direct702.257.4507 Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

Amanda C.
Yen

Partner Direct Office702.873.4100 V-Card PDF (Print)

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