James E. O'Connell

Jim O’Connell is a plaintiffs’ trial lawyer with over 25 years of experience in representing people who have been seriously harmed by the wrongdoing of others.  At Schlesinger Law, Jim focuses on personal injury cases involving wrongful death, product liability, negligent security, premises liability, motor vehicle and boating negligence, and medical malpractice.

Following graduation from Tufts University and Northeastern University School of Law in the late 90’s, Jim’s career began in Massachusetts, where he served as a corporate litigator for an international law firm based in Boston and then as a criminal prosecutor in the Public Integrity and Narcotics Divisions of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.  His family then moved north where he worked in Maine’s leading personal injury and medical malpractice law firm for 16 years, becoming a partner and shareholder of the firm.  Jim and his wife (a kindergarten teacher) then moved south to be near their son, and he has now been a personal injury trial lawyer in Florida since 2023.

Jim has obtained dozens of jury verdicts and hundreds of settlements for his clients throughout his career, many of which have exceeded $1 million.  Along the way, Jim also served on the Board of Directors of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and as Chair of the Litigation Section of the Maine Bar Association.  Jim’s accomplishments on behalf of his clients have led him to being honored by legal publications, including The Best Lawyers in America (2022 Product Liability Lawyer of the Year in Maine), New England Super Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation (Local Litigation Star).  He’s now a member of the Florida Justice Association and the Broward County Trial Lawyers Association.

Jim’s approach to injury cases combines deep knowledge and experience in the field with  common sense, compassion and strategic aggression.  He attributes his success to working collaboratively with his law partners and legal staff to multiply the strength of our cases.  The most rewarding aspect of his career has been getting to know his clients and deeply understanding their strengths and challenges so that he can stand up for them against opposing insurance companies and in courtrooms before juries.