Attorneys

Richard M. O'Connor has successfully tried numerous negligence cases (including auto, general liability and construction cases) in Wayne County and throughout southeast Michigan. For many years Mr. O’Connor has represented physicians and hospitals against claims of professional/medical negligence. He has frequently lectured on trial practice and medical liability issues. He has also defended and tried professional negligence lawsuits on behalf of attorneys.

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James E. Tamm has tried more than 50 cases across the State of Michigan and in federal court. In addition, he has successfully participated as defense counsel in numerous medical malpractice cases. While much of Mr. Tamm’s practice is in the defense of medical professionals, he is also one of Michigan’s leading municipal lawyers, with extensive experience handling, speaking on, and writing about zoning issues, defending challenges to municipalities’ regulations, and trying non-jury trials.

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Julie McCann O’Connor, a shareholder and founding member of O’Connor, DeGrazia, Tamm & O’Connor, P.C., specializes in appellate law. Ms. O’Connor has acted as lead counsel in hundreds of appeals in state and federal appellate courts, for both public and private sector clients on issues as diverse as civil rights, excessive force claims against police officers and employment discrimination claims, to commercial insurance coverage and indemnity actions.

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Mr. Herrick’s practice is focused on litigation, particularly the defense of medical malpractice and legal malpractice actions. He has represented both medical doctors and chiropractors throughout the state of Michigan. He has represented attorneys in legal malpractice claims, in a number of different areas, including no-fault automobile claims, real estate transactions, buy-sell agreements for medical practices, as well as a shareholder derivative action.

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Ms. Kotch is a senior associate with the firm. Since 1996, she has been providing legal counsel to diverse professional clients, medical institutions and municipal corporations. Her practice focuses on medical malpractice defense, legal malpractice defense, employment discrimination defense, governmental tort liability defense and land use.

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Mr. Stokan received his Bachelor’s Degree in Pre-Law and Political Science from Michigan State University in 1997 and his Juris Doctorate from the George Washington University Law School in 2000. During his time in Washington, D.C., Mr. Stokan worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Representative James Barcia. He also participated in the first summer law clerk program with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office working in the departments appellate division.

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Ms. Wilhelmi is an associate and joined the firm in July 2010. She concentrates her practice in the areas of professional liability defense and municipal law as well as appellate law. Ms. Wilhelmi attended Truman State University, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, linguistics concentration in 2004. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri- Columbia School of Law in 2007.

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