Volunteer Pro Bono Appeals in the Federal Courts

Opportunities to increase experience in the appellate courts are few and far between. Oral argument experience in particular is difficult to come by because overburdened federal appellate courts are deciding more and more cases on the briefs. This situation particularly affects newer lawyers, but more seasoned appellate lawyers may also want to expand their experience in the federal appellate courts. For both the newer lawyer and the experienced lawyer, volunteering to handle an appeal on a pro bono basis presents an opportunity to expand appellate experience and at the same time provide a valuable service to the court and self-represented litigants.