John D. O'Connor

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

John O’Connor has over 48 years of experience in a wide variety of litigation matters, ranging from personal injury to civil rights and employment to complex business cases. A significant part of that experience is the trial of over 70 cases in both state and federal Courts throughout the country, and the preparation for and settlement of many more, as well as a substantial number of arbitrations. Additionally, for 20 years, O’Connor functioned as managing partner of a substantial litigation firm. His law firm experience includes partnerships in small boutique firms, a substantial mid- sized firm, and larger nationally known firms. A significant portion of his work for over 40 years has been the evaluation, litigation and resolution of attorney fee issues. First as an Assistant United States Attorney, and later representing county and municipal governments, O’Connor has represented potential fee payors under “fee shifting” statutes. He, as well, has worked extensively for fee petitioners. As a private lawyer for federal government agencies during the financial institutions crises of the 1980’s and 90’s, and as well working with a variety of insurers and self-insurers, O’Connor has worked to develop with the client, and implement on behalf of his law firm, sophisticated billing guidelines. O’Connor has worked with many clients in mutually cooperative fashion to examine firm billings, assure compliance and rectify short comings. Since the advent in the late 1980’s of adversarial legal auditing, O’Connor has served extensively as both an expert and litigator analyzing audit criticisms, applying community standards, and construing applicable case law. In this context, O’Connor has consulted on hundreds of adversarial legal fee disputes over three decades. He has as well served as JAMS mediator, a litigator representing both law firms and fee payors on fee issues, and an expert witness both through written Declaration and oral testimony.