It’s time for another trip to the electric mailbag to see what’s on your collective mindgrapes.
At the behest of some of my colleagues and our insurance carrier, I’d like to reiterate that this post is not legal advice. Nobody reading this blog should expect to enjoy any kind of attorney-client relationship with me
Deadlines are an important part of my practice. You wouldn’t believe how much time I spend re-reading rules I could practically recite by heart and counting days. Monks have their rosaries, and I have my calendar.
That’s because appellate courts are sticklers for deadlines. I’ve heard plenty of complaints and conspiracy theories over the years,
In our never-ending quest to add value, we once again respond to your questions and feedback. The bold headings below are actual search terms that have led to this site.
It’s time for another trip to the virtual mailbag. Here are some recent searches that led to this site, and my best shot at answering the questions they raise:
When we talk to trial lawyers at bar events or CLEs, they almost invariably raise two concerns–even fears–about appellate practice. One is missing an arcane deadline, and the other is failing to preserve an issue for appeal. This suggests that our marketing strategy is working we can add value by clarifying some of these issues.
One of the neat features of blogging is that I get to see the searches that brought people here.
It recently occurred to me that I can wield this power for good or evil–good, if I choose to engage your questions, and provide useful information; or evil, if I should expose the bizarre and disturbing
I spent the weekend in chilly Williamsburg, attending my first VTLA convention. The convention featured two appellate presentations, one from John Davidson and another from Roger Creager. Both were excellent. John probably had a slight advantage, because his came with lunch, but I’d like to pick up on a point that Roger made: the
In Part III of our continuing series, former Supreme Court of Virginia clerk Tommy Strelka shares some things he learned during his recent clerkship. Today, Tommy attacks considers oral argument:
We’re back with the second in our series of guest posts from recent Supreme Court of Virginia clerk and avid water skier Tommy Strelka. Today, Tommy shares some more things that his clerkship taught him about brief writing:
Welcome to De Novo’s inaugural guest post. Today, Tommy Strelka shares a few things that he learned during a recent clerkship with the Supreme Court of Virginia. This will be the first of several visits from Mr. Strelka, who has promised to provide us no fewer than ten–TEN!–tips.
T
ommy is currently a trial lawyer at Strickland, Diviney & Strelka in Roanoke. A Mary Washington and Richmond Law grad, he’s also clerked for Judge Turk in the Western District of Virginia. The opinions and practice tips expressed in this post are solely those of the author. They do not represent the opinions of any member of the Supreme Court of Virginia or any other Court–or, for that matter, any right-thinking person.
And now, a word from Thomas:
Clerking for a Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia was a wonderful experience that opened my eyes to appellate practice. One of my favorite aspects of the job was the knowledge that many of the attorneys who filed briefs and argued before the Court were bringing their A-game. While skill, raw talent, and experience levels varied greatly, most attorneys stepped up to the plate and gave it their best shot. That best shot might have been an incredibly polished and persuasive brief or it might have been the world’s greatest thirty-second rebuttal. But no matter what form their work product manifested, the good attorneys always oozed preparedness. With that tenet in mind, I have compiled a list of traits or practices used by the attorneys who I felt, knocked it out of the park.
On Brief