People: John J. O'Malley, Partner

John J. O'Malley

Partner

Chicago
Direct: (312) 460-5514
Fax: (312) 460-7514
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Mr. O'Malley is a partner and has over 30 years of experience in the area of product liability, tort, and professional liability defense. Mr. O'Malley has defended numerous personal injury actions involving product liability, toxic tort, negligence, the Structural Work Act, and the Federal Employer Liability Act. He has represented defendants from the agricultural, chemical, construction, farm equipment, general manufacturing, medical device, oil, pharmaceutical, tire, and transportation industries. He has handled cases involving all terrain vehicles, asbestos, automobiles, backhoes, balers, cement, conveyors, cranes, envelope making machines, extrusion machines, gasoline nozzles, grain elevators, gum mixers, machine presses, manlifts, prescription drugs, surgical instruments, tires, tractors, trains, trucks, skid-steer loaders, and roofing materials and systems.

In the professional liability area, he has successfully represented attorneys in both the trial and appellate courts. He has particular experience in handling malpractice claims involving corporate, bankruptcy, environmental, and probate matters.

A former law clerk for Justice John J. Stamos of the Illinois Appellate Court, Mr. O'Malley has served as a lecturer at the John Marshall School of Law. He is also a frequent workshop panelist and lecturer on product liability and litigation.

Mr. O'Malley is a partner and has over 30 years of experience in the area of product liability, tort, and professional liability defense. Mr. O'Malley has defended numerous personal injury actions involving product liability, toxic tort, negligence, the Structural Work Act, and the Federal Employer Liability Act. He has represented defendants from the agricultural, chemical, construction, farm equipment, general manufacturing, medical device, oil, pharmaceutical, tire, and transportation industries. He has handled cases involving all terrain vehicles, asbestos, automobiles, backhoes, balers, cement, conveyors, cranes, envelope making machines, extrusion machines, gasoline nozzles, grain elevators, gum mixers, machine presses, manlifts, prescription drugs, surgical instruments, tires, tractors, trains, trucks, skid-steer loaders, and roofing materials and systems.

In the professional liability area, he has successfully represented attorneys in both the trial and appellate courts. He has particular experience in handling malpractice claims involving corporate, bankruptcy, environmental, and probate matters.

A former law clerk for Justice John J. Stamos of the Illinois Appellate Court, Mr. O'Malley has served as a lecturer at the John Marshall School of Law. He is also a frequent workshop panelist and lecturer on product liability and litigation.

Education

  • B.A., College of the Holy Cross (1971)

Admissions

  • Illinois

Courts

  • United States District Court for the Northern District (including Trial Bar)
  • Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • United States Supreme Court

Affiliations

  • Chicago Bar Association (Civil Practice Committee, Chair, 1998-1999; Tort Committee)
  • Illinois State Bar Association (1974-1994)
    • General Assembly (1984-1991, 1990-1994)
    • Insurance Law Section Council (Chairman, 1989-1990)
    • Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council (1987-1991)
    • Tort Law Section
  • American Bar Association (Litigation and Tort and Insurance Practice Sections)
  • Fellow of the American Bar Association
  • Bar Association of the Seventh Federal Circuit
  • Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (Practice & Procedure Committee, Co-Chairman, 1993-2000)
  • The Defense Research and Trial Lawyers Association
  • International Product Safety & Liability Prevention Association
  • Transportation Lawyers Association
  • Law Club of the City of Chicago
  • Abraham Lincoln Marovitz American Inn of Court (President, 2000-2002)

Presentations

  • "Effective Utilization of Experts and Rule 213 Disclosure," Chicago Bar Association Civil Practice Seminar, January 24, 2006.
  • “Torts,” Building and Office Manager’s Association Commercial Real Estate Law Course, Chicago (July 13, 1999)
  • “How Compliance or Non-compliance with Product Safety Regulations Can Affect Your Product Liability Exposure,” Manufacturer’s Alliance, Product Liability and Product Safety Council Meeting (October 9, 1998)
  • “Common Law and Other Bases for Officer and Director Liability,” Practicing Law Institute (1977)

Publications

  • “Can You Still Have an Illinois Class Action in a Mass Tort Case?” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (Second Quarter 2009).
  • “Summary Judgment,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (First Quarter 1998)
  • “Duty to Warn,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (First Quarter 1997)
  • “Expert Witnesses: The Standard of Admissibility and the Standards Used in Testimony,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (First Quarter 1995)
  • Chapter Author, Federal Civil Procedure, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (1981)
  • “No-Fault Insurance Legislation in Illinois,” 23 DePaul Law Review 525 (1973)