Attorney Interview

For 30 years, Tim O’Connor has achieved success as a trial attorney at some of Sacramento’s largest and most respected law firms. He’s been a hard-working advocate for people who have suffered personal injuries, have had their property damaged due to negligence, or both.

Now Tim has his own practice to better serve clients like you. You still get the proven experience, determination, and talent of Tim O’Connor. What you don’t get is the bureaucracy, complexity, hassle, and overhead of a big law firm.

Tim doesn’t believe that your fees should pay for plush carpeting in a partner’s office or for lawyers’ golf outings in the Wine Country. Instead, Tim believes that every dime of your fees should go to one purpose only: Building a better case for you and achieving the best possible result from your litigation.

Litigation is time-consuming and can be emotionally draining. When you need an attorney who can bring sound judgment, trial experience, and personal empathy to your situation, it’s time to talk with Tim O’Connor.

• Tim, can you tell us a little about your family and personal background?

  I grew up in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Dad worked for a commercial construction company, doing highway projects and commercial facilities around St. Louis. Mom was a homemaker. I have three siblings, a sister and two brothers. We were middle-class Irish, not rich by any means, but hard-working and close. Life pretty much revolved around work, church, and family.

• Did your dad want you to enter the construction business?

  I think he would have been okay with that if I showed any interest, but I really don’t know. He was of the generation of men who just didn’t talk much about their innermost thoughts. You did your job, took care of your own, and on the weekends you mowed the lawn, watched the Cardinals, and drank Budweiser. It was a different era, and very different from the way I communicate with my son and daughter. Dad passed away in 1989 and I regret to this day that I didn’t talk with him more or get to know him better.

• Did you ever work for his company?

  I sure did. Most of the way through college in fact. Dad hated the idea of nepotism, so he made sure I got the dirtiest and most hot ‘n humid jobs. You don’t know what hot is unless you’ve been in the humidity of St. Louis in the summertime. But it was a valuable education in the realities of work and life. The experience helped me later as I’ve successfully litigated several cases involving construction site accidents. First-hand knowledge of the work came in real handy.

• Where did you go to college?

  I wanted to major in business and the University of Texas had a business program that was highly-rated and affordable, so that’s where I earned my B.A. I’m still a Longhorns fan.

• What about law school?

  First I picked up an MBA degree from a school near home in St. Louis, then I went to law school at the University of San Diego. I graduated and passed the California Bar, then moved to Northern California. I was hired by Sacramento’s biggest personal injury firm and immediately got involved in litigation.

• You’ve worked for several big firms. Why do you have your own practice now?

  Big firms are great for certain kinds of cases. They can throw a lot of resources and people at huge, complex cases that involve lots of parties and warehouses full of documents. The average person, however, isn’t likely to have a case like this. Most, if not all, of the people whom I represent don’t need the resources and expenses of a big firm. They need someone to fight hard — not to spend hard.

  A lot of clients find out way too late that every dime spent by their “high priced lawyer” will eventually come out of the client’s settlement. Ouch. Clients need a dedicated advocate who is willing to fight for them. They need seasoned advice about whether to accept a settlement or go to trial. That’s what I offer my clients.