Joanne M. O’Connor Named Chair, Florida Bar Business Litigation Certification Committee

Jones Foster is pleased to announce that Litigation Shareholder, Joanne M. O’Connor, has been appointed Chair of The Florida Bar’s Business Litigation Certification Committee for a 3-year term. She previously served as a member of the Committee.

The Business Litigation Certification Committee oversees the certification of qualifying applicants practicing in the business litigation area of law. Candidates must meet rigorous requirements including a written examination and peer review to ensure they possess the special knowledge, skills, and proficiency, as well as the character, ethics, and reputation for professionalism to receive the designation. Board Certification is the highest level of evaluation by the Florida Bar, with only 7% of Florida’s lawyers having earned the title.

Nearly half of Jones Foster Shareholders and Senior Counsel are certified in one or more specialty areas, and this distinction in expertise continues to represent a key differentiating standard of the Firm. As part of Jones Foster’s commitment to preeminent professionalism and ethics, the designation is prioritized as a professional development goal for attorneys. Joanne is also a member of the Firm’s internal Board Certification Committee that was created to provide actionable steps, advice, and mentoring to prepare young attorneys to take this step in their legal career.

Joanne is a Florida Bar Board Certified specialist in Business Litigation who 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. Joanne has experience defending actions seeking certification of nationwide and statewide classes, including consumer claims brought under the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). She counsels 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 is an experienced litigator who advocates for her clients in jury and non-jury trials and appeals in state and federal courts and before private arbitration panels.

Joanne currently holds several notable leadership positions and is actively involved in the legal community. She is Past President and current Board Member of the Federal Bar Association Palm Beach County Chapter, a member of The Florida Bar’s Federal Court Practice Committee, and was appointed by the United States District Court Southern District of Florida to serve on the West Palm Beach Federal Courthouse Committee. She also serves as a Board Member for the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches.