The Rising Role of Appellate Attorneys in U.S. Attorneys' Offices

There are 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs) and most are organized into two primary divisions: a criminal division and a civil division. Increasingly, however, USAOs are establishing separate divisions staffed with attorneys specializing in appellate practice. These appellate divisions are not yet universal and serve varying functions in each office, but practitioners and their clients should be aware that many USAOs are equipped with these appellate specialists and should consider whether it is necessary to retain their own specialized appellate counsel when litigating appeals with the United States.