Our appellate lawyers handle appeals involving our core practice areas and other areas of law, throughout Ohio and nationwide. For example, Durst Kerridge has handled:
- Commercial Law Appeals
- Financial Services Law Appeals
- Employment Law Appeals
- Family Law Appeals
- Qui Tam Appeals
- Constitutional Law Appeals
- Business Tort Appeals
- Products Liability Appeals
- Consumer Law Appeals
- Personal Injury Appeals
Exceptionally Qualified to Handle Appeals
An appeal is an extension of the trial process but requires a different skill set. Clients represented by true appellate counsel typically have the edge over parties represented by their trial counsel, who may fall prey to procedural pitfalls and emphasize the wrong arguments.
In addition to representing our own clients on appeal, other lawyers and law firms regularly engage our firm to represent their clients on appeal. We provide the absolute best appellate representation, particularly in the Ohio Supreme Court, First District Court of Appeals, and Sixth Circuit.
Leadership in Ohio Appellate Practice
Our Ohio appeal lawyers not only have extensive appellate experience, but maintain deep roots in the appellate legal community.
Paul R. Kerridge co-chaired the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Group from 2020 to 2025. Paul began his career as an Assistant Ohio Attorney General in the Appellate Division before going on to serve as a Judicial Attorney to the Honorable Justice Patrick F. Fischer of the Ohio Supreme Court and then as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Judge Chad A. Readler of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Prior to forming Durst Kerridge, Paul worked in the Appellate Department of one of the Midwest’s largest law firms.
Alex J. Durst chaired the CBA’s Appellate Practice Group from 2018 to 2025 and is now Co-Chair of the State and Federal Practice Group. In this capacity, Alex collaborates with Judges and staff of local courts, including the First District Court of Appeals, to organize CLEs bringing together the bar and bench. Alex was also appointed by the First District to its local rules committee in 2018 and to its pro bono committee in 2023.
Our record of successful appellate advocacy includes:
Won reversal by the United States Supreme Court in a qui tam matter. The decision paved the way for a potential damages award of over $2 Billion.
Won reversal of $1,187,886 judgment against New York-based finance company in intercreditor dispute with Ohio bank in the First District.
Won reversal of summary judgment decision in products liability/wrongful death action against Yamaha Motor Co. in the First District, after being retained to represent Plaintiff on appeal.
Obtained reversal of summary judgment decision on behalf of Plaintiff in Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act case.
Won multiple family law appeals after being specially retained on appeal, including reversal of a child custody decision resulting in an immediate award of custody to the firm’s clients.
Successfully obtained interim relief such as stays of execution pending appeal in the First District and the Supreme Court of Ohio (including on an emergency basis).
Successfully defended liability determination in multi-million dollar payments industry dispute.
Obtained dismissal on procedural grounds of appeal of substantial sanctions/attorney fee award obtained in favor of our client.
Won precedent-setting case before the Supreme Court of Ohio involving the right of indigent defendants to effective assistance of counsel after being chosen to represent the Defendant on appeal.
Argued in the Massachusetts Appeals Court in case of first impression involving the application of Massachusetts’ Saving Statute, G. L. c. 260, § 32.
Our Appellate Services
Durst Kerridge offers comprehensive appellate services to our clients and co-counsel. Our appeal lawyers in Ohio are often hired at the trial level before an appeal has been filed. Our appellate advocacy includes, but is not limited to:
- Assisting trial counsel with preserving issues for appeal, ensuring procedural requisites for an appeal are satisfied, and drafting post-trial motions in anticipation of an appeal
- Developing appellate strategy, including the selection of issues to raise on appeal, the framing of legal arguments, and the most effective presentation of the client’s case
- Preparing and drafting persuasive appellate briefs
- Preparing and executing oral arguments
We are highly knowledgeable regarding:
- Ohio and federal appellate procedure
- Securing the right to an appeal
- Seeking (or challenging) stays pending appeal, including on an emergency basis
- Nuanced “final and appealable” order issues (which are prevalent in Ohio)
- Ohio Supreme Court practice, including seeking the Court’s acceptance of a jurisdictional appeal, motion practice, briefing, and oral argument
