Practice Areas
Appeals
Practice Areas
Appeals
Skilled Appellate Advocacy for Massachusetts Clients
An unfavorable ruling isn’t always the final word. Whether you’re challenging a trial court decision, a jury verdict, or an administrative agency ruling, Butters Brazilian LLP brings the same rigor and trial-tested judgment to appellate matters that has defined our practice for decades.
Appeals require a different skill set than trial work—the skill to build an argument from a closed record, the judgment to narrow a case to its strongest issues, and the ability to withstand pointed questioning from a panel of judges. Our attorneys have taken cases through state court trial and up through the state and federal appellate courts, giving us firsthand experience with how appellate judges evaluate a case. Attorney Meredith G. Fierro brings particular depth to Butters Brazilian’s appellate practice, having begun her legal career as a law clerk for the Massachusetts Appeals Court and since argued before the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
We also serve as appellate counsel for attorneys who tried the case below. If you’re an attorney seeking appellate support for a client, we welcome the opportunity to collaborate.
Areas of Appellate Practice
Administrative & Regulatory Appeals
Appealing adverse agency actions, including licensing determinations and findings of regulatory violations that result in fines or other penalties.
Civil Appeals
Challenging or defending judgments in complex civil litigation.
Criminal Appeals
Representing clients seeking to overturn or modify convictions, sentences, or pretrial rulings, drawing on our firm’s recognized strength in criminal defense.
Amicus Briefs
Beyond representing parties directly, we’re often asked by trade associations, professional groups, and other organizations to weigh in as amicus curiae on cases where the outcome will affect a broader community beyond the immediate parties.
Why Choose Butters Brazilian LLP for your Appeal?
- Experience at Every Level of the Judicial System. From the Massachusetts Appeals Court and Supreme Judicial Court to the First Circuit, our attorneys know how each court operates and what persuades its judges.
- Comfort with Novel Legal Questions. We regularly handle cases of first impression in administrative law, criminal law, statutory interpretation, and constitutional law.
- Collaborative Approach. We work well with other lawyers, whether by stepping in as appellate specialists on a case tried by other counsel or drafting amicus briefs on behalf of outside organizations.
- Decades of Trial and Appellate Experience. Our firm has tried high-stakes civil and criminal cases for 30 years.
- Personalized Attention. We are known for professionalism, personal attention, and an unwavering focus on advancing our clients’ goals.
Appellate Work in Practice
Our appellate work is grounded in careful analysis, persuasive written advocacy, and clear, focused oral argument. The examples below offer a look at that work in practice, including appellate arguments and briefs prepared by Butters Brazilian LLP attorneys.
Appellate Arguments:
- Oral Argument on behalf of the City of Chicopee · 16:01
- Salvatore F. DiMasi v. Secretary of the Commonwealth — Oral Argument · 13:35
- Commonwealth v. Denzel McFarlane — Oral Argument · 45:56
- Matter of Kris C. Foster, and others — Oral Argument · 54:19
Appellate Briefs:
- Brief of Amici Curiae Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Charles River Regional Chamber, and Retailers Association of Massachusetts
- Stephen J. Comtois v. State Ethics Commission – Brief of Appellant Stephen J. Comtois
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Related Attorneys
Meredith Fierro
Counsel
Patrick Hanley
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Mary E. Lemay
Counsel
Matthew D. Thompson
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