Joanne O’Connor, a Jones Foster board member, is a Florida Bar Board Certified specialist in Business Litigation who represents businesses and individuals and focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation (such as contracts, business torts, and partnership and corporate disputes) and real estate and land use litigation. Joanne defends actions seeking certification of nationwide and statewide classes, including consumer claims brought under the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Joanne’s extensive experience as a litigator positions her as a powerful advocate for her clients in jury and non-jury trials and appeals in state and federal courts and before private arbitration panels. She also provides expert testimony to state and federal courts on the reasonableness and amount of attorneys’ fees and costs due to prevailing parties.
Joanne serves as Town Attorney for the Town of Palm Beach where she counsels the Town, its officials, and staff on a wide range of legal issues including contracts, land use and zoning, ordinances, and regulations, and oversees the Town’s litigation. Joanne also counsels other governmental entities on statutory, constitutional, and civil rights claims and both governmental and private entities on Florida’s Public Records Act and Sunshine Law.
Joanne currently holds several notable leadership positions and is actively involved in the legal community. She serves as Vice Chair of The Florida Bar's Federal Court Practice Committee, is past chair and member of the Business Litigation Certification Committee, and co-chair of the Palm Beach County Bar Association's Diversity Internship Program. Joanne is a past president of the Federal Bar Association Palm Beach County Chapter, a voluntary bar organization that serves as the catalyst for communication between the federal bar and bench. She is a past chair of The Florida Bar’s 15th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee and was recently appointed by the Chief Judge to the inaugural Local Professional Panel of the 15th Judicial Circuit Court. She was appointed Defendants’ Liaison Counsel by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in the federal multidistrict litigation alleging personal injury relating to the medication Zantac, In re Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2924.
Joanne has been listed among Florida’s Leading Lawyers in the area of Litigation by Chambers USA, one of the oldest and most prestigious legal listings in the world. She has been named to Florida Trend's Legal Elite Notable - Women Leaders in Law since its 2023 inception and is recognized consistently by Best Lawyers in America, Florida Super Lawyers, and Palm Beach Illustrated's Top Lawyers list. She is the recipient of an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, awarded to only those lawyers with the highest ethical standards and legal ability.
Before joining Jones Foster, Joanne served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Sarah S. Vance, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
