Earlier this month, Forsgren Fisher partners Caitlinrose Fisher and Virginia McCalmont argued appeals just hours apart. Fisher argued to the Minnesota Supreme Court in State v. Noor, a case that has received international press coverage. McCalmont argued to the Ninth Circuit in Bailey v. Garland, an immigration appeal in which Ms. McCalmont was appointed by the court to represent the petitioner.

That these two partners would argue back-to-back appeals was fitting given that the two met on their first day clerking for Eighth Circuit Judge Diana Murphy. To Fisher and McCalmont, their respective arguments involved simply another invigorating day of stand-up oral advocacy on behalf of our firm’s clients. But these back-to-back arguments are particularly noteworthy given the gender disparities in appellate advocacy. A recent analysis of oral arguments published by Minnesota Lawyer, for example, found that only 29% of all arguments presented to the Minnesota Supreme Court last term involved female oral advocates. That percentage dropped to 14.7% for arguments presented by attorneys in private practice.

Appellate advocacy requires meticulous preparation, sound strategy, and a clear voice. We at Forsgren Fisher have the experience and track record of successfully navigating the intricacies of appeal. We are grateful to our clients for trusting us, all of us, to be their advocates – even when the moment of advocacy is a client’s last shot at obtaining or preserving a favorable judicial ruling.