Attorney Norman Tucker, Sommers Schwartz, P.C., Southfield, Michigan

Norman D. Tucker
Southfield, Michigan


phone	(248) 746-4071
fax	(248) 936-2177
email	Email Me

Mr. Tucker is Chairman of the Executive Committee and President of Sommers Schwartz, PC.

Norman D. Tucker has more than 30 years experience in plaintiff's medical malpractice, product liability and complicated litigation. He specializes in birth trauma litigation and co-authored the two, definitive reference books on the subject, Handling Birth Trauma Cases, Volume I and II. His meticulous attention to detail and evaluation of medical research has resulted in numerous multi-million dollars settlements for clients.

Tucker is committed to educating legal and medical practitioners on current issues in medical malpractice. He has delivered presentations to more than 100 seminars, workshops, panel discussions, law school classes and medical associations. Tucker is a frequently published writer and thought-leader on the role of trial lawyers, legislative efforts to reduce patients' rights, tort reform and health care. He joined Sommers Schwartz in 1975, and is currently a senior shareholder in the firm.

President of the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association from 2001-2002, Tucker has been named one of the Best Lawyers in America since 1995 and won several awards for outstanding contributions to the legal profession. He has been a key participant in several state task forces on tort reform, physician peer review and national health care.

Year Joined Organization:: 1975

Areas of Practice:: Arbitration & Mediation; Medical Malpractice; Personal Injury

Litigation Percentage:: 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:: Michigan, 1971; U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1984; U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 1971

Education:: University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Detroit, Michigan, 1971
Honors: Cum Laude; University of Michigan, 1967

Published Works:: Handling Birth Trauma Cases, (Co-Author), Wiley Law Publications, Volume I, 1985; Handling Birth Trauma Cases, (Co-Author), Wiley Law Publications, Volume II, 1989; Journal of Medicine and Law, "Commentary Against Caps on Non-Economic Damages", (Co-Author), Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University, 1:1:121-130, 1997; Partisanship Invades Supreme Court, The Detroit News, Op. Ed., October 31, 2000; An Interesting Species, MTLA Quarterly President's Page, Summer, 2001; Who Are We?, MTLA Quarterly President's Page, Fall, 2001; Why Don't They Love Us?, MTLA Quarterly President's Page, Winter, 2002; Why Don't They Love Us?, Trial Talk, Vol. 53, Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, Oct/Nov - Issue 7, 2004; Why Don't They Love Us?, The Advocate, Nevada Trial Lawyers Association, January, 2005; Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport, MTLA Quarterly President's Page, Summer, 2002

Classes/Seminars Taught:: Qualifying the Medical Expert, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, 1980; Cross-Examination of the Medical Expert, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, 1980; Negotiation Techniques in Personal Injury Cases, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, 1982; Developing Demonstrative Evidence in a Medical Malpractice Case, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, 1983; Structured Settlements, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, 1983 - 1984; Cross Examination of Obstetrical Expert, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, 1986 - Present; New Michigan Malpractice Legislation, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, 1986 - Present; Order of Presentation and Use of Evidence and Witnesses, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, 1988 - Present; Program Chairman and Moderator, The Present State of Medical Malpractice Law in Michigan, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, November 30, 1989 - Present; Program Chairman and Moderator, Academics and Pragmatics of Medical Malpractice Trial Practice, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, November 8, 1990; Advocacy into the 90's, MTLA 46th Annual Convention, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminars, May 16, 1990; The New Medical Malpractice Law Primer, Program Moderator, Southfield, Michigan, November 5, 1993; Macomb County Chapter, Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 1994 Medical Malpractice Tort Reform, June 30, 1994; Medical Malpractice Case Development and Trial Practice in the Tort Reform Era. The Death of Common Sense: Qualifying the Medical Expert in Michigan, Southfield, Michigan, May 19, 1995; Proving Damages in the 21st Century, Program Moderator: Novi, Michigan, January 21, 1999; Fast Track Workshop for New Lawyers. Medical Malpractice: Tips to a Strong Positioning of the Case, Southfield, Michigan, March 9, 1999; Rapid Fire Infusion of New Ideas, Rights & Remedies: The Most Important Things You Must Know to Move, MTLA 54th Annual Meeting Seminar, Livonia, Michigan, April 23, 1999; Rapid Fire Seminar: New Ways to Succeed: Nurses and Residents After McDougall; What is the Standard of Care and Who Can Testify, MTLA 55th Annual Meeting, Livonia, Michigan, April 23, 2000; Medical Malpractice: Affidavits of Merit and Notices of Intent in 2002, Novi, Michigan, March 22, 2002; Medical Malpractice, Winning in a Hostile Environment. A New Era: On DemandTrial of Experts Before Trial. Craig v Oakwood, Davis-Frye, and MCL 600.2955. Novi, Michigan, December 3, 2004; Establishing Qualifications for Expert Opinions Under Davis-Frye, MTLA Annual Rapid Fire Seminar, Dearborn, Michigan, May 13, 2005; Guidelines for Getting into Court and Staying There: Apsey, NOI's, AOM, Waltz. Co-Program Chair and Co-Moderator, Novi, Michigan, October 19, 2005; Michigan Probate Judges Mid-Winter Seminar: Structured Settlements, Dearborn, Michigan, ICLE, 1985 - Present; Michigan Tort Reform, Medical Malpractice Statute, Grand Rapids and Southfield, Michigan, September 1986, ICLE; Motions During Trial, Novi, Michigan, November 1986, ICLE; Handling Damages in a Personal Injury Case after 1986 Tort Reform Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 3, 1987; Southfield, Michigan, March 6, 1987, ICLE; Trial Practice Seminar, The Anatomy of a Lawsuit. 7 weeks once per week,Southfield, Michigan, January through February, 1989, ICLE; Trial Advocacy Skills Workshop, Ann Arbor, Michigan, January 27-29, 1992, ICLE; The Art of Cross-Examination, Preparing the Lay and Expert Witness for Cross Examination, Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 4, 1992; Southfield, Michigan, November 9, 1992, ICLE; Trial Advocacy Skills Workshop, Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 9-11, 1993, ICLE; Anatomy of a Lawsuit, Voir Dire and the Law of Jury Selection MSU Education Center, Troy, Michigan, September 26, 1994, ICLE; Preparing Lay and Expert Witnesses for Cross-Examination MSU Education Center, Troy, Michigan, December 7, 1995, ICLE; Everything You Need to Know to Prepare Your Witness for Cross-Examination, Expert Preparation. MSU Education Center, Troy, Michigan, November 3, 2000, ICLE; Advanced Negotiation and Dispute Resolution, ANDR Institute, A Judge/Practitioner Dialogue Concerning Referral Orders to ADR. Hon. Wayne D. Brazil, US Magistrate Judge; Northern District of California, Oakland, Bruce E. Bigler and Norman D. Tucker - March 27, 2003, ICLE; The New Medical Malpractice Law Primer, Program Moderator, Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 19, 1993; Expert Qualifications and Woodard, Michigan Med Mal Law Update, Novi, Michigan, October 6, 2006; How to Ensure the Insurance Carrier Sets Proper Reserves for Your Client's Claim, 62nd Annual Rapid Fire Seminar, Dearborn, Michigan, 2007

Honors and Awards:: The Best Lawyers in America - Listed in 6th Ed., 1995 - 1996; The Best Lawyers in America - Listed in 7th Ed., 1997 - 1998; The Best Lawyers in America - Listed in 8th Ed., 1999 - 2000; The Best Lawyers in America - Listed in 9th Ed., 2001 - 2002; The Best Lawyers in America - Listed in 10th Ed., 2003 - 2004; The Best Lawyers in America - Listed in 11th Ed., 2005 - 2006; The Best Lawyers in America - Listed in 12th Ed., 2006 - 2007; The Best Lawyers in America - Listed in 13th Ed., 2007 - 2008; Martindale-Hubbell Rating (AV); Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation, 1992 - Present; Fellow, Oakland County Bar Foundation, 1998 - Present; Michael Franck Award, State Bar of Michigan, Attorney Making an Outstanding Contribution to the Profession, 2002; President's Choice Award, from Reginald Turner, 68th President of the State Bar of Michigan, October 16, 2003; Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the LawMLW as an Attorney Who has distinguished themselves in the Michigan Bench and Bar, 2005; The Best of the US - Listed in 1st Ed., 2006 - 2007; The Best of the US - Listed in 2nd Ed., 2007 - 2008

Professional Associations and Memberships:: American Bar Association; Member; State of Michigan Bar Association; Member; American Association for Justice; Member; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association; Member; Detroit Bar Association; Member; Oakland County Bar Association; Member; Southfield Bar Association; Member; Trial Lawyers for Public Justice; Member; American Constitutional Society for Law and Policy; Member; State Bar Grievance Panel, 1982 - 1989; Chairman; Oakland County Mediation Panel; Wayne County Mediation Panel, 1978 - 1994; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 1987 - 1992; Chairman Medical Legislation; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 2003 - 2006; Chairman Medical Legislation; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 2004 - Present; Chairman Media Committee; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 1997 - Present; Executive Board; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 1997 - 1998; Treasurer; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 1998 - 1999; Secretary; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 1999 - 2000; Vice President; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 2000 - 2001; President-Elect; Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 2001 - 2002; President; American Association for Justice, 1990 - 1991; Michigan Governor; American Association for Justice, 1996 - 1998; Michigan Governor; American Association for Justice, 1991 - 1993; State of Michigan Delegate; ABA Committee on Law and Medicine, 1980 - Present; ABA Tort Reform Task Force on National Health Security Act, 1994; State Bar Negligence Section Council, 2002 - 2004; Michigan House of Representatives Judiciary Subcommittee, Physician Peer Review, 2002; Chair; State Bar Committee on Judicial Qualifications, 2003 - Present; Michigan Democratic Party, Caucus Review Committee, 2004; Michigan Lawyers Weekly Board of Editors, 2006 - Present

Past Employment Positions:: Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner & Kenney, P.C., Medical Malpractice Defense Attorney, 1971 - 1975

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