Florida Trend Names Jones Foster Shareholder Joanne M. O’Connor to Legal Elite Notable – Women Leaders in Law for Second Year

Jones Foster, a 100-year-old commercial and private client law firm with offices in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, and Jupiter, is proud to announce that Florida Trend has recognized Litigation Shareholder Joanne M. O’Connor in the magazine’s Legal Elite Notable – Women Leaders in Law special section of its December issue for the second consecutive year.

Joanne was one of only 125 nominated women attorneys statewide who were selected for this distinction. To qualify for the list, nominees must be a practicing attorney with at least 15 years’ experience; demonstrate a significant impact in the legal field; serve as mentors or act as a role model for others; and display leadership in professional organizations and in civic and community service initiatives.

Joanne is a distinguished attorney who has served the local legal community in several notable leadership positions. She currently serves as Town Attorney for the Town of Palm Beach where she counsels its officials and staff on a wide range of legal issues, and is deeply committed to the mentorship of young lawyers in her role as co-chair of the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Diversity Internship Program (DIP). Joanne is also vice chair of The Florida Bar Federal Court Practice Committee and served as co-chair of the 2024 Florida Bar Convention Federal Judicial Roundtable & Reception earlier this year.

Joanne is a past president of the Federal Bar Association Palm Beach County Chapter, a past co-chair of Leadership Palm Beach County’s Youth Leadership Committee where she was a member for eight consecutive years, a former director of the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, and a past board member of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches. She was previously appointed by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg as Defendants’ Liaison Counsel in the Zantac (Ranitidine) multidistrict products liability litigation in which summary judgment was granted in favor of the brand-name drug makers.

A Florida Bar Board Certified Business Litigation attorney, Joanne focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation including contracts and business torts, partnership and corporate disputes, civil RICO, real estate and land use litigation, and lawyer and law firm defense. She also provides expert testimony to state and federal courts on the reasonableness and amount of attorneys’ fees and costs due to prevailing parties. As Town Attorney for Palm Beach, Joanne advises on contracts, land use and zoning, ordinances, and regulations, and oversees the Town’s litigation. She 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.

Florida Trend business magazine is read by 270,000 influential business executives, civic leaders, and government officials each month. Its award-winning reporting covers regional and statewide business news, industry executives, and the business sectors they represent, as well as information on Florida's lifestyle, arts, and culture scene.