About Michael B. Skinner — Michigan Criminal Appeals Attorney
When someone's freedom is on the line after a criminal conviction, the quality of legal representation on appeal can mean the difference between years behind bars and a chance at a just outcome. Michigan criminal appeals attorney Michael B. Skinner has spent more than 25 years building one of the most focused and accomplished appellate practices in the state. He does not dabble in appeals as a secondary service — it is everything he does, and he does it at the highest level.
Attorney Skinner founded Skinner Law Office in Lake Orion, Michigan, after gaining significant appellate experience at respected Detroit and Bloomfield Hills law firms. Today, his office serves clients from every corner of Michigan, offering expert appellate representation in criminal appeals, civil appeals, federal habeas corpus proceedings, and applications for executive clemency.
Meet Michael B. Skinner
Michael B. Skinner combines academic excellence, extensive appellate experience, and a proven track record of legal success in every case. His blend of scholarly achievement and practical expertise enables him to deliver strategic, expert representation that consistently advances his clients’ interests.
- Spent five years as a law clerk specializing in appellate practice at a downtown Detroit law firm before becoming an attorney.
- Founded Skinner Law Office after gaining valuable experience as an associate at a respected Bloomfield Hills firm.
- Recognized by the Detroit Free Press as “an expert in Michigan appellate law.”
- Skilled in handling both criminal and civil appeals, including complex divorce appeals.
- Admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the Michigan state and federal bars, ensuring broad authority and expertise.
- Graduated magna cum laude from Wayne State University Law School while working full-time as a law clerk.
- Earned numerous honors, including serving as Senior Articles Editor for the Wayne Law Review.
- Holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
Why Appellate Specialization Matters for Your Case
Appellate law is a distinct discipline within the legal profession. It requires a different skill set than trial work — one centered not on courtroom performance and witness examination, but on meticulous record analysis, deep legal research, persuasive written advocacy, and the ability to construct sophisticated legal arguments that hold up under intense judicial scrutiny. An attorney who handles appeals only occasionally cannot develop the pattern recognition and brief-writing fluency that come from doing this work exclusively.
When Attorney Skinner takes on an appeal, he begins with a comprehensive review of the entire trial court record — every transcript, every exhibit, every motion, every ruling. He identifies legal errors that may not be immediately obvious, researches the applicable case law in depth, and constructs an appellate brief that frames those errors in the most compelling way possible for the reviewing court. This is painstaking, intellectually demanding work — and it is the work that wins appeals.
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Expert Guidance for Your Legal Journey
Collaborate with Michael Skinner personally to navigate the complex appellate process with confidence and clarity. Book your consultation today.
Frequently Asked Questions — About Attorney Skinner
Trial attorneys and appellate attorneys require very different skills. Trial attorneys focus on witness examination, courtroom presentation, and real-time tactical decisions. Appellate attorneys focus on written advocacy, legal research, and identifying errors in the record that can be raised before a higher court. In fact, one of the most powerful grounds for a criminal appeal — ineffective assistance of trial counsel — requires a separate appellate attorney to argue that the trial attorney made significant mistakes. Hiring your original trial attorney to handle the appeal creates a clear conflict of interest, since that attorney would be evaluating their own performance.
Magna cum laude is a Latin distinction awarded to graduates who finish in the top academic tier of their law school class. At Wayne State University Law School, this is a rigorous standard — particularly meaningful given that Attorney Skinner achieved it while working full-time as an appellate law clerk. It reflects the analytical ability, work ethic, and commitment to excellence that now define his appellate practice.
Skinner Law Office is a boutique appellate firm built around the personal expertise of Attorney Michael B. Skinner. This means clients work directly with Attorney Skinner — not with junior associates or paralegals who hand off their work. Every case evaluation, brief, and court argument is handled by the attorney whose name is on the door. For clients facing the most serious legal challenges of their lives, that direct, personal engagement matters enormously.
Every appeal begins with a thorough review of the trial court record — including all transcripts, motions, rulings, jury instructions, and exhibits. Attorney Skinner identifies potential grounds for appeal, researches the applicable Michigan and federal case law, and advises the client on the strength of available arguments. He then drafts a comprehensive appellate brief that presents those arguments in the most persuasive and legally precise manner possible. When oral argument is available, he argues the case personally before the appellate court.
Yes. Attorney Skinner has experience with federal habeas corpus proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 2254, which allow state prisoners to challenge their convictions in federal court after exhausting state remedies. These proceedings involve complex procedural rules — including AEDPA's one-year statute of limitations and the exhaustion requirement — and require the kind of sophisticated federal court experience that Attorney Skinner has developed over his career.