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Edward
J. ("Ted") Kionka has been a lawyer since 1962, and his career has combined
academic positions and the private practice of law. He began his
consulting practice in 1969, which ever since has involved (1) appeals
and (2) civil trial litigation with a heavy emphasis on the legal
aspects of the case. The following pages of this web site give further
details concerning his background, experience, and qualifications.
Photo Above: Courthouse, Illinois
Appellate Court, Mt. Vernon
Professor
Kionka's career combines law school teaching, research and writing
for publication, and appeals and trial consulting. Most of his cases
are referred from other attorneys. In some cases he will work as
a member of a trial or appellate team; in other cases, he will be
asked to take full responsibility for an appeal, returning the case
to the trial attorney or firm when the appeal is concluded. He has
been sole or lead counsel on appeal in several hundred appeals.
At the trial level, he has prepared pleadings, motions, responses,
and legal memos, jury instructions, and post-verdict documents.
He has frequently appeared before trial court judges to present
these, and occasionally to conduct evidentiary hearings.
Why
retain an appellate lawyer?
In
recent years, appellate practice has become recognized as a separate
field of specialization. There are organizations of appellate lawyers
at the national and state levels. Lawyers realize that there are
special skills and talents involved in writing briefs other similar
documents and in presenting persuasive written and oral arguments
to trial and appellate court judges. In addition, lawyers who have
substantial experience in appellate litigation are familiar with
the appellate rules and techniques and bring their unique experience
to the service of their clients. Appellate lawyers typically keep
up with developments their field and attend conferences and seminars
to enhance their appellate skills and knowledge. Most other lawyers,
even litigators, handle very few appeals during their careers, and
therefore increasingly look to appellate specialists to assist with
important cases on appeal.
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Professor
Edward J. Kionka
