Johanna Suzanne Schiavoni

As an experienced appellate lawyer, I represent companies, individuals, and public entities in high-stakes appeals and writs. During more than two decades of practice, I have been the principal brief-writer in over 100 cases and have argued more than 40 appeals in federal and state courts. I bring a strategic lens to analyzing legal issues, while working collaboratively with clients and trial lawyers. This requires understanding the legal and factual landscape of the case and creatively distilling complex issues into a focused and compelling narrative. Appeals involve many key components – from vital work in the trial court to set a case up for success, to litigating the appeal, and handling post-appeal matters. But an appeal is not a re-run of trial court proceedings. Clients and trial counsel engage me to: - evaluate whether to bring a writ or appeal - handle an appeal from start to finish - represent amicus curiae - work with trial counsel to prepare key motions (e.g., summary judgment filings, motions in limine), special jury instructions and verdict forms - prepare post-appeal petitions for panel rehearing or rehearing en banc - recommend whether to seek review in the California or U.S. Supreme Court and handle these proceedings. My substantive experience includes litigating California business torts, contracts, employment law, privacy, civil procedure, patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade dress, trade secrets, unfair competition, commercial fraud, insurance, securities and health care matters, constitutional law, regulatory and administrative issues, consumer class actions, and claims against public entities. Since 2016, I have been certified as a specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California—a distinction earned by fewer than 300 attorneys of the 270,000 lawyers in California. I worked as a judicial law clerk for both U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder in Los Angeles and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge M. Margaret McKeown.