Joe O’Connor is a talented litigator specializing in class actions, mass torts, and insurance litigation. Joe has considerable experience litigating a wide range of matters in several different forums, including federal consumer products and ERISA class action litigation, international insurance arbitration, complex environmental insurance coverage litigation, and antitrust litigation.
Joe’s clients have included liability and health insurance companies, airlines, retailers, and a variety of other companies across different sectors.
During law school at Georgetown University Law Center, Joe practiced before the Federal Communications Commission as part of his clinical training with the Institute for Public Representation. Prior to law school, Joe worked as an assistant underwriter, managing aircraft insurance policies for an aviation insurance underwriting firm.
- Defending major manufacturer of sun care products in class actions alleging that the manufacturer misleadingly labeled its sunscreen products
- Defending the insurers in an environmental coverage action brought by Union Oil
- Defending a national health insurer against a federal class actions brought by medical providers challenging insurer's overpayment recoupment practices under ERISA
- Defending large insurer and financial services company in international arbitration in Canada related to satellite insurance contracts
- Representing major domestic airline bringing federal antitrust action concerning airfare and ticket distribution practices
- Defending major foreign airline in California state court against claims arising out of an air disaster in China
- Defending national retailer in commercial lease dispute in federal court
- Representing pro bono client asserting claims of human trafficking in California state court
- Representing pro bono clients petitioning for U nonimmigrant status before the US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Languages
- Spanish
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
Court Admissions
- US District Court, Central and Northern Districts of California
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Education
- Georgetown University, J.D.: cum laude; Dean’s List; Managing Editor, Georgetown Immigration Law Journal
- University of San Diego, B.A., History: cum laude
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by The Legal 500 in the “Product liability, mass tort and class action - consumer products” category (2017)
Professional Activities
Internships
- United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Aviation and Admiralty Litigation Section