John McDonough

John J. McDonough is a nationally known trial attorney, who represents major corporations and high-net-worth individuals in their most consequential disputes. Over three decades of practice, he has taken more than 200 cases to trial, litigated before a wide variety of courts and administrative agencies nationwide, faced highly accomplished plaintiffs’ counsel, and won verdicts valued at nine and ten digits.

His track record of trial victories and favorable settlements is such that the country’s most sophisticated clients request John’s participation when excellence is absolutely required. The global head of claims for one of the world’s largest insurers appointed John to serve on an elite task force of just seven trial attorneys who lead the company’s most critical litigation.

High-net-worth individuals and celebrities hire John to resolve private commercial litigation when confidentiality and discretion are nearly as important as the ultimate resolution. His highest accolades are his verdicts, but John has also been publicly recognized by his peers as a leader in the field.

John is the former president of the Defense Association of New York (DANY), has edited its quarterly journal for more than 20 years, and received DANY’s James S. Conway Award for Outstanding Service to the Defense Profession in 2013. He is a member of the Product Liability Advisory Council, a prestigious organization of leading manufacturers and hand-selected top products liability defense counsel.

An active author and lecturer, John speaks regularly to such groups as the Defense Research Institute (DRI), New York State Bar Association Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Section, and American Conference Institute. He is widely published in the lay press and law journals and is a frequently cited source in Businessweek, The New York Times, and the New York Law Journal.

John serves on St. John’s Prep’s Trustee Advisory Board and as a member of St. John’s Advancement Committee. John earned a B.A. from Boston College and his J.D. from New England School of Law.

EXPERIENCE :

• Reached a highly favorable settlement on behalf of a large construction firm over allegations of construction defects to the plaza in front of the Westin Hotel located next to Boston’s convention center. The strength of the defense John presented at mediation convinced plaintiffs to resolve the case for minimal damages rather than proceed to court.
• Defended a large construction company against a $30 million wrongful death suit. After a two-week liability trial, the jury assigned significant liability to one of the deceased. With that leverage, John negotiated a settlement for a fraction of the demand one day before jury selection was set to begin
• Defended a non-structural steel stud manufacturer in a $100+ million product disparagement claim. After making a compelling presentation during jury selection and opening statements, John reached an extremely favorable settlement on behalf of the client.

EDUCATION :

• New England School of Law, J.D., 1979
• Boston College, B.A., 1976

BAR ADMISSIONS : Massachusetts; New York

COURT ADMISSIONS :

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U.S. District Court — Eastern District of New York
• U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
• U.S. Supreme Court

AFFILIATIONS :

• Defense Research Institute
• The Defense Association of New York
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
• Litigation Counsel of America
• HeartShare St. Vincent’s Services
• New York City Bar Association
• Products Liability Advisory Council
• The Charitable Irish Society
• Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA)
• American Board of Trial Advocates, Advocate