Mr. O'Connor joined Jennings, Strouss & Salmon in 1985 and is now Of Counsel in the firm's Litigation Department. His practice focuses primarily on the areas of products liability, complex commercial litigation, utilities and energy companies, insurance coverage and bad faith, personal injury and professional malpractice defense.
Representative Engagements
- Successfully represented a major Arizona ski resort in multiyear litigation over challenges upon federal environmental and religious grounds, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, in U.S. District Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court
- Was the lead trial lawyer in a multidistrict litigation involving a failed merger
- Represents major electric and natural gas utility companies in commercial and personal injury litigation in State and Federal court
- Represents an interstate natural gas transmission company relative to its recent contruction of a 286 mile transmission pipeline and related condemnation cases
- Serves as a regional trial counsel (four states) for an international medical device manufacturer
- Defended an Arizona governmental entity with respect to a Section 1983 claim arising out of an alleged wrongful conviction and death penalty sentence
- Defended a chlorine tableting company in a class action personal injury and property lawsuit regarding the largest structural warehouse fire in Arizona
Honors, Appointments and Awards
Professional Affiliations
-
American College of Trial Lawyers
Fellow
, 2008-present
-
International Association of Defense Counsel
Member
, 2004-present
-
Federation of Insurance Corporate Counsel
Member
, 2006-present
-
Defense Research Institute
Member
, 1985-present
-
Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
Member
-
Maricopa County Bar Association
-
American Bar Association
Tort Trial Insurance Practice Section
-
State Bar of Arizona
Trial Practice Section
Admitted to Practice
Court Admission
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 1985
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1985
Education
-
J.D.
, The George Washington University Law School
, 1985
magna cum laude
Order of the Coif
Moot Court Board
-
B.A.
, Johns Hopkins University
, Political Economy, 1982
Class of 1982 Scholarship Committee, Chairman
