DLA Piper partner Stan Panikowski acknowledged that people don’t consider his firm a "traditional hub of appellate practice." He’s fine with that. The firm’s strategy, he said, is to handle cases "throughout their entire lifespan," from prelitigation through appeals.

"You don’t lose anything in translation," said Pani­kowski, co-leader of DLA Piper’s appellate practice. "There’s no risk in dropping the baton."