Appellate Attorney – Samuel Hall Jr. – Crivello, Nichols & Hall

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No matter the media spotlight, Samuel Hall Jr.‘s courtroom strategy stays rooted in the fundamentals: clear arguments, a strong record and respect for the law.

Hall is the managing partner of Crivello, Nichols & Hall and focuses his appellate advocacy on federal civil rights litigation, crisis management and government affairs. He has successfully defended high-profile cases involving government officials, law enforcement and judges in civil rights matters.

“I think attorneys need to remain focused on running the race that you are best equipped to run — attempting to artificially play to the press or public sentiment in briefing or argument almost never works well with the judges or justices deciding the case,” Hall said. “You need to remain flexible enough to present a high-profile case like you would any other case within the courtroom, while also recognizing that the litigation may only be one of the battlefronts and that your client will need your advocacy skills.”

He works closely with trial teams to shape a cleaner, more focused appellate record, most often by narrowing the scope of issues and being deliberate about who presents what at trial. In his view, messy records often come from poor witness planning.

After 20 years in practice, Hall believes that when oral arguments stop making him nervous is the day he knows it’s time to retire.