John M. McConnell
Partner
John M. McConnell, a partner in the firm’s General Liability Practice Group, focuses his practice on representing publicly traded and Fortune 500 companies in matters involving commercial litigation, products liability, premises liability, construction, and premises security. John handles a variety of commercial matters, including breach of contract claims, as well as complex contractual and insurance issues.
Experience Highlights
- Obtained a dismissal based on the Tort Claims Act and statute of limitations on behalf of a government planning and zoning authority in a wrongful death action.
- Successfully defended a Fortune 500 company and employee in a false-arrest matter. The plaintiff brought suit claiming that the employee filed a false police report against him. The defense demonstrated that the conduct of the employee was protected by the shopkeeper’s privilege.
- Successfully defended a Fortune 500 retailer in a premises liability matter. The plaintiff brought suit for property damage and lost earnings claiming the defendant’s employees were negligent. At a bench trial, the defense proved that the defendant’s employees did follow store protocol and were not negligent.
- Successfully defended an individual driver and business owner following a motor vehicle accident. The plaintiff brought suit claiming the defendant-employee driver was negligent. At a bench trial, the defense proved that the employee did not negligently operate his motor vehicle.
Honors & Awards
Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent
New Jersey Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2015–19 (Thomson Reuters).
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Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Education
- Villanova University School of Law, J.D., 2006
- John was a member of the Trial Competition Team and participated in student government.
- Loyola University, B.B.A., summa cum laude, 2003
- Received both a Loyola Medal of Merit and Loyola Senior Athlete Scholars Award
- Was captain of the school’s Division I men’s tennis team from 2001 to 2003
- Graduated as Loyola’s all-time leader in singles and doubles victories
- Received the team’s Most Valuable Player and Most Dedicated Player awards each season.
Community Involvement
- Beta Gamma Sigma (National Academic Honor Society), Philadelphia Chapter: Member
- Council Rock Newtown Baseball Coach 2018-Present
- Council Rock Soccer Association Coach, 2016-Present
- Loyola University Board of Directors, Philadelphia Alumni Chapter: Member, 2011–2013
Training and Certifications
- Department of Labor OSHA-10 Construction Training
Publications & Events
- Co-Author, “Discussion of Removal Issues Arising From Arbitration Cases,” The Legal Intelligencer, Vol. 274, No. 71, April 12, 2013
- Author, “Court Chews Tenant Up; Spits Landlord Out,” Defense Digest, December 2008
- Co-Presenter, “The Ten Secrets to Commercial and General Liability: in 60 Minutes or Less,” Plano, TX, October 21, 2019
- Presenter, “Strategies for Defending General Liability Claims,” Carlsbad, CA, March 1, 2017
- Co-Presenter, “Defending Construction Accident Cases,” Handling a Construction Accident Case, New Jersey Association for Justice, Edison, NJ, February 25, 2017
- Presenter, “Overview of General Liability and Contractual Liability Principles in New Jersey and New York,” Dallas, TX, March 4, 2016
Recent Insights
Aggressive Motion Practice Leads to Early Dismissal of Plaintiff’s Claims Against National Hotel Chain
August 28, 2019
Plaintiff’s Failure to Provide Discovery Leads to Dismissal for National Financial Services Company
August 19, 2019
Goldberg Segalla Congratulates 2017 New Jersey Super Lawyers
March 14, 2017