(AGENPARL) – STANFORD (CA) gio 20 aprile 2023

This tribute published in the At the Lectern blog published by Horvitz & Levy on March 28, 2022.

Ellis Horvitz died last week. He was the Horvitz of Horvitz & Levy. But he was so much more. Pertinent to this blog, Ellis had a longstanding relationship with the California Supreme Court. Early in his career, Ellis clerked for Chief Justice Phil Gibson. He then went on to a pioneering career as an appellate lawyer, during which he appeared before the court dozens of times. His name — not just the firm’s name — appears as counsel on 82 of the court’s opinions, spanning 50 years.

Professionally, one of his most notable contributions was the establishment of appellate law as distinct practice area. So many of the lawyers who were fortunate enough to practice with Ellis owe our careers directly to him, but appellate specialists in general are at least indirectly indebted because of his pathbreaking.

Personally, Ellis was a kind and generous person, and a pleasure to be with. He left the world a better place and was a lasting positive influence on innumerable friends and colleagues.

Here is the firm’s statement about Ellis:

It is with profound sadness that Horvitz & Levy LLP announces the passing of our founding partner, Ellis J. Horvitz. Ellis passed away peacefully at home, holding the hand of his beloved wife Angela.

Ellis began his appellate practice in 1957 as a sole practitioner and went on from there to found Horvitz & Levy LLP. A visionary and pioneer in civil appellate practice, Ellis was the first “startup” entrepreneur in the field of civil appeals, focusing on appellate litigation at a time when appellate practice did not exist as a recognized specialty. Today, Horvitz & Levy LLP is the largest law firm in the nation specializing exclusively in appellate litigation and trial strategy consultation.

Ellis’s deep involvement and noteworthy success in California civil appellate practice is widely known. He briefed more than 80 cases in the California Supreme Court and presented oral argument in more than 50. He coauthored The Rutter Group’s California Practice Guide: Civil Appeals and Writs, now the leading treatise on the subject. He was a founding member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, and served on the State Bar Committee on the Appellate Courts from 1972 to 1976. Chambers and Partners USA ranked Ellis as a Senior Statesman from 2007 to 2009.

Recognized as the “Dean of the California Appellate bar” by Chambers & Partners, Ellis was the first inductee into the California Lawyers Association’s Appellate Lawyer Hall of Fame. During his long and distinguished career as a member of the California bar, he was held in the highest regard by clients, colleagues and judges. He was a mentor and a teacher committed to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism in the law. He will be deeply missed.

Fonte/Source: https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-lawyer/articles/ellis-horvitz-jd-51-ab-49-1928-2022/