Over the last several decades, appellate practice has transitioned from a part of general legal practice into its own discrete specialty. Luther T. Munford, an attorney in Butler Snow LLP’s appellate and written advocacy group, has been a part of that specialization and has directly influenced its development over the last 40 years, including a term as the President of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. From clerkships on the Fifth Circuit and the US Supreme Court, Luther has seen appellate practice change and develop. He’s taken that experience to carve his niche in an appellate practice that has included media law, constitutional law, professional liability, and product liability defense. Luther joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to share his experiences and discuss his work, including his development of the Mississippi Appellate Practice guide. Join us for Luther’s insights and anecdotes!

Listen to the podcast here:

Four Decades of Appellate Practice | Luther Munford

Transcript coming soon!


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About Luther Munford

Munford serves in an of counsel role in Butler Snow’s appellate and written advocacy group, and concentrates his practice on appellate matters, media law, constitutional law, professional liability and product liability defense.

Munford is member of the American Bar Association and the Mississippi Bar, and is a past president of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He received his undergraduate degrees from Princeton University and Oxford University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.

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Photo of D. Todd Smith D. Todd Smith

D. Todd Smith practices in the Appellate and Written Advocacy Group at Butler Snow LLP, where he represents clients in all phases of civil appeals and original proceedings and works with trial teams from the earliest stages of litigation. In trial courts, Todd…

D. Todd Smith practices in the Appellate and Written Advocacy Group at Butler Snow LLP, where he represents clients in all phases of civil appeals and original proceedings and works with trial teams from the earliest stages of litigation. In trial courts, Todd takes the lead on strategic analysis and briefing, jury charges, and potentially dispositive motions, all with a focus on preserving error and positioning cases for appellate review.

Todd earned degrees from Texas Christian University (B.S. 1989), Texas Tech University (M.P.A. 1992), and St. Mary’s University School of Law (J.D. 1995). While in law school, he was editor in chief of the St. Mary’s Law Journal and interned with Fifth Circuit Judge Emilio M. Garza (ret.).

Before joining Butler Snow, Todd served as a briefing attorney to Texas Supreme Court Justice Raul A. Gonzalez (ret.) (1995-1997), practiced with Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. (now Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP) (1997-2006), and ran his own civil appellate boutique (2006-2021). He is certified as a specialist in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and regularly appears on Thomson Reuters’ Texas Super Lawyers list.

Todd frequently writes and speaks on appellate-related topics. In addition to publishing Texas Appellate Strategy, he is the creator, producer, and co-host of the Texas Appellate Law Podcast, a weekly show that demystifies appellate law and pulls back the curtain on the appellate system through conversations with judges, court staff, and practitioners.

Todd sits on the State Bar Board of Directors, is immediate past chair of the Austin Bar Foundation, and is a past-president of the Austin Bar Association. As Austin Bar president (2019-2020), Todd spearheaded creation of the Lawyer Well-Being Committee, which aims to educate, support and connect the Austin legal community to achieve more balanced, mindful, and joyful lives and practices. He also serves on the Judicial Committee on Information Technology, is a trustee of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society, and is a member of the Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court.