PRACTICE AREA ·
6
OF 06
AT A GLANCE
Who it's for
Anyone who lost at trial, or won and must defend it
Courts
Appellate Division, Second Circuit
Typical length
9 to 18 months from first call to resolution
First step
A free 30-minute call, then a written record review within 48 hours.
Fees from
$4,500 fixed record review
Signs it’s time to call
If any of these sound familiar, a 30-minute call now usually costs far less than fixing it later.
01
You lost at trial
The deadline to file a notice of appeal is short.
02
You won and the other side appealed
You need to defend the judgment.
03
A ruling mid-case looks wrong
Some orders can be appealed before the trial ends.
04
The record needs a second pair of eyes
A fresh read can find the one legal error that matters.
05
A judgment is being enforced
You need a stay or a bond while the appeal runs.
06
You're deciding whether to appeal
A realistic view of the odds, and the cost, first.
Most cases resolve before trial. I prepare every one as if it won’t, and you get a document at each stage.
01
First call
Thirty minutes, no charge. You tell me what happened and I tell you honestly whether it's worth pursuing.
Note of first call · Week 1
02
Case assessment
Your strongest claims, the defences they'll run, and a realistic range of outcomes, in writing.
· Within 48 hours
03
Pleadings & early motions
The complaint or answer, and any motion that could end the case early or narrow it.
· Months 1–2
04
Discovery
Documents, depositions and experts. It's where most cases are won, and where most budgets go.
· Months 2–9
05
Resolution
Mediation, settlement or trial. I give you my view of every offer, and the number I'd take.
· Months 9–18
What it costs
Fixed prices where the work is predictable, monthly caps where it isn’t. You approve the budget before I start, and it only changes if you say so.
Case assessment
Written, within 48 hours
$3,500 fixed
Pleadings & motions
Complaint or answer, first motions
$18k–26k
Discovery
Monthly, never above the cap
$12k / mo cap
Mediation
Preparation and a full day
$9,500 fixed
Trial
Quoted in writing after discovery
From $60k
Estimated to resolution
Most commercial cases, without trial
$64k–92k
Prices for 2026. Court filing fees and expert costs are billed at cost, and I tell you before they’re incurred.
IN A CLIENT’S WORDS
She found the one error that mattered and built the whole appeal around it.
Tom Brennan
Owner, construction company · appeal
Questions about commercial cases
The ones I hear most on first calls. If yours isn’t here, ask me directly.
How long do I have to file an appeal?
Do you take cases on contingency?
Can I bring new evidence on appeal?
What should I have ready for the first call?
Do I have to pay the judgment while I appeal?
Can you work alongside my trial lawyer?
Other practice areas
FREE 30-MINUTE CALL
Tell me what happened.
I read every enquiry myself and reply within one business day, usually sooner. If a court deadline is close, call instead of writing.
Contacting me does not create an attorney–client relationship.