John earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and his B.A. from St. John’s University. John is presently a member of the Maritime Law Association (Proctor in Admiralty) and has served as President of the Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Chicago and has previously served as Chairman of the Admiralty Committee of the Illinois State Bar Association.
John A. O’Donnell, Sr.
Shareholder
John is a trial lawyer focusing his practice in admiralty and maritime law, including the defense of Jones Act, pleasure boating and general maritime law personal injury matters. He has successfully litigated cases ranging from admiralty and maritime law to general negligence, construction injuries, trucking accidents, products liability and property loss claims. As a former leading prosecutor in the Illinois Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, John possesses a broad background of trial experience, including 50+ jury trials and in excess of two hundred bench trials.
John has lectured on admiralty and maritime law, civil litigation matters, including personal injury defense, and trial advocacy at several Chicago law schools and legal seminars.
John has previously served as a Certified Arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association and is listed in Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. John has been named as a Best Lawyer, Super Lawyer and Leading attorney in Admiralty and Maritime Law. John has an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating (Martindale-Hubbell).
Education, Admissions & Organizations
Bar Admissions
John is admitted to the state bars of Illinois and Indiana, and also is admitted to the following Federal District and Appellate Courts:
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Trial Bar
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court, Eastern District Missouri
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana