Bryan J O’Connor has distinguished himself as a trial lawyer willing to take on difficult cases other attorneys have refused to handle. He is a life-long Chicago resident and a 1977 graduate of Northwestern University School of Law. He has represented plaintiffs in personal injury cases continuously since his admission to the bar in 1977. Although the bulk of his practice is based in Chicago, he maintains an active practice in the collar counties and downstate Illinois, and has handled cases in Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, Virginia and Texas.
Mr. O’Connor is recognized in the field of nursing home liability, but also concentrates in construction and workplace litigation, product liability, medical negligence and motor vehicle/truck litigation. He has tried over 125 jury cases to verdict. He has handled a number of precedent setting cases involving liability of cab companies for the intentional acts of their drivers; liability of nursing homes for sexual abuse of residents; a record verdict in Kane County for victims injured in a hot air balloon accident; and the liability of City of Chicago for failure to post clearance signs on viaducts resulting in citywide placement of these signs. He has a particular expertise in electrical injuries. He also was one of the principal attorneys working on a case involving a carbon monoxide leak from a newly designed high-efficiency furnace, which resulted in the deaths of ten people, and which compelled the manufacturer to correct the product’s design. In addition, he also handles workers compensation claims, insurance litigation and premises liability cases. He also represents lawyers in disputes arising from partnership dissolutions or break-ups, and attorney fee disputes.
Professional memberships include American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America), Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA), Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), and Chicago Bar Association (CBA). He was the chairperson of CBA Tort Litigation Committee. He has lectured at seminars sponsored by ITLA, Continuing Legal Education programs sponsored by ISBA, and topics at CBA Tort Litigation Committee meetings. He is active with St Rita High School in Chicago, serving on major fundraising committees, and formerly served on its Board of Directors. He also served on the school board of St Bernadette grade school in Evergreen Park, IL.
Education:
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D. 1977
- Northern Illinois University, magna cum laude B.A. 1974
- St Rita High School, 1970
Personal: Born in Chicago, IL on September 26, 1952. Widowed with four children.
Email: boc@oconnorlawgrp.com