Bloomberg Law Highlights Orrick’s “Eye-Catching” Approach to Giving Appellate Associates At-Bats to Argue Big Cases

Bloomberg Law featured our Supreme Court and Appellate Practice’s emphasis on giving associates at-bats to argue important cases in the federal appeals courts, highlighting significant recent wins by associates Rachel Shalev and Easha Anand. The article called Orrick’s approach of giving associates appellate opportunities typically reserved for partners “doubly eye-catching in an era of shrinking appellate court arguments.”

The Bloomberg article comes on the heels of Rachel’s win last week in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which found Louisiana’s debtor prison system unconstitutional. Rachel argued the case, as well as led the briefing along with partner Kelsi Brown Corkran. Easha this summer won a major en banc ruling in the Ninth Circuit, which overturned the life sentence of a juvenile offender, and also recently argued a major case in the Sixth Circuit in Planned Parenthood’s fight to preserve Kentucky’s only remaining abortion clinic.

Kelsi told Bloomberg that giving associates these opportunities is part of the firm’s “long-term strategy” to build a pipeline of talent in the practice. Rachel cited the important role the firm’s mentors play in cultivating at-bats for associates, saying, “They’ll work hard to create space for you.”