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Course Details

Course Information
  • smart_display Format

    Live Online with Live Q&A

  • signal_cellular_alt Difficulty Level

    Intermediate

  • work Practice Area

    Class Action and Other Litigation

Date & Time
  • event Date

    Thursday, September 25, 2025

  • schedule Time

    1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

  • timer Program Length

    90 minutes

Credit Information

  • This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.

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MSRP
$297.00
$247.00
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Discount expires 7/14/25

This course is $0 with these passes:

CLE
ALL

This CLE course will provide practical guidance to appellate attorneys, litigators, and in-house litigation managers on the strategic use of amicus briefs in appellate advocacy. The panel will offer guidance on soliciting and coordinating amicus support, as well as insights and advice on writing amicus briefs and responding to the government when it appears as amicus curiae.

Faculty

Mary-Christine Sungaila
Partner
Complex Appellate Litigation Group, LLP

Ms. Sungaila is an award-winning appellate attorney who has briefed or argued more than 170 appeals. She has also developed special expertise in appeals involving Holocaust art recovery. Ms. Sungaila has handled appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court, multiple state supreme courts, numerous federal and state appellate courts, and even the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. She is often called to consult during litigation and even prior to the initiation of litigation when an appeal by either side could be inevitable. Before joining CALG, Ms. Sungaila led or co-led appellate practice groups at two different AmLaw 150 law firms, one of the only Hispanic women ever to do so.

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Description

Amicus briefs are playing an increasingly influential role in the U.S. Supreme Court, at both the certiorari and merits stages, and in other federal or state court appeals. A properly prepared and truly persuasive amicus brief can expand, or add valuable perspective to, the parties' legal arguments.

Amici also address the importance and impact of the questions presented to the court. This includes supporting a certiorari petition or other petition for review by explaining why review is important to the amicus curiae, the industry that it represents, and the public. But a "me too" amicus brief that merely replicates a party's legal arguments fails in its mission to serve as a "friend of the court."

Amicus counsel not only must be familiar with procedural requirements governing submission of amicus briefs, but also familiar with the style in which they should be written. And from the viewpoint of a party's counsel, knowing when and how to solicit amicus support, and how to coordinate multiple amici to avoid duplicative or excessive briefs, is crucial.

Listen as our panel of experienced appellate attorneys discusses the tactical use of amicus briefs in appellate advocacy. The panel will offer a wealth of information on both amicus brief strategy and the art of drafting persuasive amicus briefs.

Outline

I. Procedural requirements governing amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court and other appellate courts

II. Why, when, and how to solicit and coordinate amicus support

III. Elements of an effective amicus brief

IV. The government as amicus curiae

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • What strategic considerations affect the decisions on whether to solicit and/or file amicus briefs?
  • What are the elements of an effective statement of interest?
  • What unique considerations should counsel consider at the discretionary review stage versus the merits stage?
  • How can appellate attorneys, trial counsel, and in-house counsel most effectively team on preparation of amicus briefs?
  • What special issues are involved when the Solicitor General is invited by the U.S. Supreme Court to file an amicus brief on behalf of the United States? When state attorneys general file as amici curiae?