Appellate practice group Co-Chair Gretchen Harris Sperry has been elevated to Chair-Elect of the American Bar Association (“ABA”) Council of Appellate Lawyers ("CAL") for 2023-2024. She will serve as CAL Chair from 2024-2025.
In this role, she will work to further the mission of CAL to advance the professional development of appellate lawyers and foster constructive dialogue with appellate judges to improve appellate practice. Through initiatives such as continuing legal education programs, specialized publications, and the annual Appellate Judges Education Institute ("AJEI") Summit, CAL aims to promote appellate practice as a discipline and contribute to ongoing discussions about enhancing the quality and integrity of appellate practice in courts of review.
Ms. Sperry has represented clients in numerous state and federal courts of review, including the United States Supreme Court. As a former appellate court clerk, she is highly skilled in drafting and arguing critical motions and appeals. Ms. Sperry has also developed particular expertise in working with trial teams as embedded appellate counsel to fortify the trial record, preparing pre-trial motions, monitoring trial proceedings, and developing appellate strategy in complex commercial litigation, high-exposure catastrophic injury cases, mass torts, constitutional litigation, and labor and employment matters.
To learn more about the CAL Executive Board, please click here.