Education:
Alma College, B.A., cum laude, 1999, Valparaiso University, J.D., cum laude, 2002
Practice Areas:
Medical Malpractice; Municipal Law; Consumer Bankruptcy
Admissions:
2002, Michigan
Biography:
Mr. Broaddus has been an associate attorney at O’Connor, DeGrazia, Tamm and O’Connor since March 2003. He has been a member of the
State Bar of
Michigan since November 2002 and has been licensed to practice before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
since October 2008. He is a member of the Michigan State Bar’s
Public Corporation Law Section; through his involvement in this Section, Mr. Broaddus recently published two articles:
Exclusionary Zoning as Analyzed in Recent Decisions of the Court of Appeals: Are Such Claims Effectively Excluded from the Developer's Lawyer's Repertoire?, Public Corp. Law Quarterly, Winter 2009, p. 1 and
Mettler Walloon L.L.C. v Melrose Township and Cummins v Robinson Township: Are Michigan Courts Moving Toward a “Shocks the Conscience” Standard for Land Use Claims Brought Under State Substantive Due Process?, Public Corp. Law Quarterly, Summer 2009, p. 10.
Since joining the firm, Mr. Broaddus’ accomplishments include successfully defending an asset recovery company in a negligence action brought by the owner of repossessed vehicles, who alleged that his vehicles were damaged in the course of being repossessed by our client. Mr. Broaddus was responsible for all aspects of the litigation, including case evaluation, witness meetings, settlement negotiations, trial preparation, and argument of a motion which resulted in the case being dismissed with prejudice in the fall of 2008.
In August 2008, Mr. Broaddus drafted and argued a successful motion for summary disposition on behalf of an attorney in a legal malpractice action which arose out of the dissolution of a closely held partnership. The Macomb County Circuit Court Judge was persuaded that the attorney’s alleged negligence did not cause plaintiffs to receive a smaller portion of the partnership’s assets.
In the fall of 2007, Mr. Broaddus served as second chair in a nine week medical malpractice/wrongful death trial in the Wayne County Circuit Court. The case dealt with radiation treatment for prostate cancer. The jury returned a no cause verdict for all defendants. Mr. Broaddus’ responsibilities included identifying and organizing exhibits, drafting trial briefs and motions in limine, and drafting jury instructions. Earlier in 2007, Mr. Broaddus drafted and argued a successful motion for summary disposition on behalf of a law enforcement officer in an excessive force claim which arose out of an arrest. Although it was undisputed that the plaintiff had suffered a broken leg during the arrest, the Jackson County Circuit Court held that the officer’s actions were reasonable, under the circumstances, as a matter of law.
In 2006, Mr. Broaddus was responsible for drafting and arguing a successful motion for sanctions following the dismissal of a legal malpractice action which arose out of a divorce. The Wayne County Circuit Court awarded $80,000 in attorneys’ fees after finding that the legal malpractice suit was frivolous. Also in 2006, Mr. Broaddus drafted and argued a successful motion for summary disposition in the Wayne County Circuit Court on behalf of a municipal building inspector and municipality, in a lawsuit brought by a homeowner who alleged that building code standards had not been enforced. In addition to these cases, Mr. Broaddus has significant experience in cases involving insurance coverage, employment discrimination, general negligence, zoning, drunk driving and other traffic offenses.
Mr. Broaddus received his law degree from
Valparaiso University School of Law in Valparaiso, Indiana in May 2002, where he graduated
Cum Laude. In law school, Mr. Broaddus was an associate editor for the
Law Review, participated in the
Honors Program and
Tax Clinic, and was President of the International Law Society. He also received Course Honors in Labor Law, Law & Economics, and Corporate Finance. While in law school, Mr. Broaddus also worked as a Research Assistant to multiple law professors. In this capacity, he conducted an extensive review of new case law interpreting 42 U.S.C. § 1983, Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and other employment and civil rights statutes, while assisting Professors Ivan Bodensteiner and Rosalie Levinson in their preparation of annual supplements to their treatise,
State & Local Government Civil Rights Liability.
Prior to law school, Mr. Broaddus attended
Alma College in Alma, Michigan, where he received his B.A. in
History and
Political Science (dual major) in May 1999, graduating
Cum Laude. At Alma, Mr. Broaddus was recognized on the
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Honor Roll.