Appellate practice requires significant skill, attention to detail, and a love for the law. Appellate lawyers must have advanced research and writing skills, and must be able to transform the most difficult legal and factual issues into elegant, logical, concise arguments.
Appeals can also follow from a judge's preliminary rulings that are believed incorrect.
Appellate litigation ties in neatly with a litigation practice. It is often helpful during lower court proceedings for opposing counsel to be aware that a case may be appealed. As strange as it may seem, the failure of an attorney to make an objection on the record at trial can cost a client the right to appeal. The purpose of an appeal is not to retry the case, but to see if the lower court proceedings were conducted properly. The record usually consists of a transcript of trial court proceedings, documents in the lower court file, and exhibits accepted during lower court proceedings.