The Council of Appellate Lawyers (CAL) is the first and only national appellate bench-bar organization in the country.  Founded in 2000, CAL’s mission is to foster a dialogue among federal and state appellate lawyers and judges that will improve appellate advocacy and strengthen ties among the numerous federal, state, and local appellate bar associations.  Often working with the Appellate Judge’s Education Institute (AJEI), CAL sponsors and develops continuing legal education programs taught by the country’s most celebrated appellate judges and practitioners.

CAL members receive free subscriptions to a number of appellate publications, including:

• The Journal of Appellate Practice and Process, the only scholarly law journal to focus exclusively on issues important to appellate court systems. Edited by faculty members of the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law, The Journal is designed to provide a bi-annual forum for creative thought and dialogue about the operation of appellate courts and their influence on the development of the law.

• Appellate Issues, CAL’s own tri-annual online publication of appellate practice and procedure, featuring content from CAL’s members and its education programs.  We encourage CAL members to contribute new and previously published articles.  No footnotes required.

• The Judges Journal, a quarterly magazine of the Judicial Division, published for judges, lawyers and others interested in the courts and how they operate.

While you’re here, please browse our website.  In addition to the CAL email group, a calendar of upcoming CAL education opportunities, and a clearinghouse for proposed amendments to the federal rules of appellate procedure, our online appellate resources include:

• Appellate Organizations: linking every known webpage of state and federal bar associations in the United States;

• State and Federal Appellate Courts: providing links to all state and federal appellate courts and summaries of the unique structure and procedure of the various state appellate courts;

• Publications: offering access to current and back issues of Appellate Issues and links to other federal, state, and local online appellate publications, such as Certworthy and The Appellate Practice Journal; and

• Appellate Links: listing websites of interest to appellate practitioners, including SCOTUS oral arguments, appellate blogs, and more.

We are always looking for ways to improve the “appeal” of our appellate web portal.  If you have suggestions or comments, please e-mail the Website Coordinator Ben Mesches. If you have comments or questions about Appellate Issues contact Evelyn Tombers. If you have any comments or questions about our publications more generally, contact Leane Medford.