Scarlet R. Smith

Strong & Hanni’s Appellate Practice Group represents clients in state and federal appellate courts, providing strategic support from the trial stage through appeal. The team works closely with trial counsel to preserve appellate issues, evaluate potential arguments, identify weaknesses in the record, and develop legal theories tailored to the distinct demands of appellate advocacy.

The group handles appeals from start to finish, including merits briefs, petitions for certiorari, amicus briefs, and oral argument. Its attorneys also assist other lawyers with brief review, moot courts, and appellate strategy, bringing a fresh perspective to matters that may have been litigated for months or years at the trial level.

Strong & Hanni’s appellate lawyers include experienced legal writers, oral advocates, and former appellate court clerks. The team closely follows developments in state and federal case law and legal scholarship, combining detailed research and writing with practical appellate experience to support clients throughout the appellate process.

Founded in 1888, Strong & Hanni is a full-service Utah law firm with a longstanding presence in the state’s legal and business communities. Based in Salt Lake City, the firm represents businesses, governmental entities, insurers, professionals, and individuals across a broad range of legal matters, combining more than a century of institutional experience with practical, responsive counsel tailored to each client’s needs.

The firm’s multidisciplinary practice encompasses business and corporate law, commercial litigation, construction, real estate, insurance, labor and employment, healthcare, professional liability, product liability, appellate law, transportation, and trusts and estates, among other areas. Its attorneys handle matters ranging from business transactions and ongoing advisory needs to complex disputes, trials, and appeals in state and federal courts. This breadth allows Strong & Hanni to draw on lawyers across disciplines when clients face matters involving overlapping legal, regulatory, and commercial issues.

Strong & Hanni emphasizes close client relationships, collaboration, and efficient problem-solving, with attorneys working to understand both the immediate legal issue and the broader objectives behind each engagement. The firm combines substantial litigation and transactional capabilities with deep knowledge of the Utah market, providing coordinated representation to clients facing business challenges, significant disputes, and evolving legal needs.