Appeals and Legal Research

Carson J. Tucker has over 20 years of experience in appeals and legal research. Starting his career as a research attorney at the Michigan Court of Appeals and then serving as a law clerk to Justice Stephen J. Markman of the Michigan Supreme Court, Mr. Tucker learned appellate practice from the perspective of the appellate judges and justices who make critical decisions on the law and create binding jurisprudence for years to come. After his clerkship, Mr. Tucker was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States and continued his appellate practice, chairing the appellate practice groups of two law firms before staring his own international legal practice.

Effective appellate representation demands different skills than those required of litigation attorneys.

Not only does it require an ability to comprehend and assess the legal issues underlying a case, but it also requires an ability to quickly grasp the nuances of the facts and the subject-matter of that case, no matter what level it is at along the litigation spectrum.

Over the course of his 15 years as an appellate practitioner, from his time as a clerk for now Chief Justice Markman of the Supreme Court of Michigan to the present, Mr. Tucker has demonstrated an adeptness at analyzing the intricacies of each case from an objective and critical perspective.  From reviewing and preparing the lower court record, identifying appealable errors, and developing a strategy to raise issues that will be addressed by appellate courts, Mr. Tucker is capable of handling the most complex appeals from the early litigation stage to oral advocacy before the highest courts.

Mr. Tucker’s research abilities and knowledge of current issues in nearly all major subject-matter areas of the law provides his clients with efficient and immediate assistance with complex and high-exposure cases.

Mr. Tucker is experienced at navigating through all appellate courts to shepherd the appeal in the most expeditious fashion possible so that it can be reviewed and quickly ruled upon.

During the past decade, Mr. Tucker has been responsible for several seminal decisions in workers’ compensation, municipal law, Constitutional law, governmental immunity, employment and labor law, civil rights law and insurance coverage.

Because of his specialized knowledge and focus on appellate law and his recognized expertise, Mr. Tucker has been asked to participate as amicus curiae writing briefs for the Supreme Court or as special counsel to other governmental entities in some of the most significant cases in the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.