John A. Meyer is of counsel to O’Connor Law, LCC and was a founding Member of the firm’s predecessor, Meyer & O’Connor, LLC
Mr. Meyer is a highly accomplished trial and appellate lawyer and litigator who practices in the areas of federal criminal defense, complex commercial litigation, civil rights and tort litigation. Mr. Meyer is rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell and has been designated a “Super Lawyer” seven times (2015-2021).
Prior to founding Meyer & O’Connor, Mr. Meyer served for five years as an Assistant United States Attorney in Chicago and then practiced law for 30 years as the principal of the Law Offices of John A. Meyer.
Mr. Meyer has over 45 years of experience representing major corporations, substantial government entities and individuals in complex civil and criminal cases, including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, directors and officers, common law tort, and civil rights matters and federal criminal cases involving wire fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, racketeering, firearms, narcotics and other charges.
Mr. Meyer has tried more than 100 jury trials to verdict in federal court, tried a number of jury trials in state court and briefed and argued more than 50 appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and briefed and argued appeals before the Illinois Appellate Court.
Of particular note is Mr. Meyer’s long experience in defending complex financial fraud prosecutions and conducting lengthy jury trials. Among other things, Mr. Meyer has represented defendants charged with securities fraud, tax fraud, mortgage fraud and various other types of financial fraud, including Ponzi schemes. Mr. Meyer has also tried a number of multi-month and multi-week jury trials.
Among Mr. Meyer’s representations are the following:
Civil Litigation
- Obtained $150,000 verdict for plaintiff in federal civil rights trial
- Obtained $65,000 verdict for plaintiff in state tort trial
- Obtained complete defense jury verdict in federal civil rights, tort trial (second chair)
- Obtained $1.5 million dollar settlement of claims against directors and officers of failed financial institution after mediation before retired federal magistrate judge (second chair)
- Obtained dismissal of plaintiff’s claims arising from agreement to lease CAT scan equipment
- Obtained dismissal of plaintiff’s claims against third-party defendant arising from commercial aircraft accident
Federal Criminal Defense
- Obtained acquittal of client on all charges in federal narcotics trafficking trial
- Obtained hung jury on, and subsequent agreement to dismiss, principal charge (possession of a firearm by a felon) in federal criminal case (co-lead counsel)
- Obtained reversal of conviction on racketeering charges on appeal after client convicted in federal trial
- Successful prosecution of motions to suppress in evidentiary hearings in federal court
- Representation of a member of the trading department of major bank who allegedly engaged in a scheme to hide trading losses from the bank
- Representation of attorney for failed savings and loan in prosecution arising from approval of transactions and acts that the government contended were fraudulent
Mr. Meyer has made the following presentations:
- Recent Developments in the Law of Qualified Immunity in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Presentation at Conference of the Illinois Municipal League (September, 2010)
- Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and the Risk to Business: Employer Liability for Employee Misuse of the Internet, Presentation to Chicago Bar Association Corporate Law Departments Committee (April, 2008);
Mr. Meyer earned his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in 1969 and his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1972.
Education
B.S., Psychology, 1969
Iowa State University
J.D., 1972
University of Iowa
Prior Professional Experience
1972-1977, Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of Illinois
1977-2007, Principal and Founder, Law Offices of John A. Meyer