Appellate boutique Horvitz & Levy’s size gives it two advantages.

In terms of California’s state appellate courts and the San Francisco-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, it is a giant, with 32 lawyers specializing in appeals. The Encino, Calif.-based firm presented seven oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit in 2011 and claim more California Supreme Court appearances during the past decade than their two nearest competitors combined.