Jones Foster Elects Shareholder Joanne M. O’Connor to Firm’s Board of Directors

Jones Foster, a full-service commercial and private client law firm with offices in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, and Jupiter, is pleased to announce that litigation shareholder Joanne M. O’Connor has been elected to serve on the board of directors for a three-year term following the annual Officers’ meeting. 

“Joanne O’Connor has built an impressive commercial litigation practice at Jones Foster from the ground up. She is an incredibly talented litigator who has earned recognition within the legal community and has cultivated strong relationships with members of both the bar and bench through her skill, dedication, and leadership,” Chairman Scott G. Hawkins said. “She serves as a steadfast advocate and mentor to our young lawyers, especially our female attorneys. She is a trusted colleague and integral part of our team so her addition to the board is a natural progression in the development of our organization.”

A Florida Bar Board Certified Business Litigation attorney, Joanne represents businesses and individuals in complex commercial litigation matters including contracts, business torts, and partnership and corporate disputes, as well as in real estate and land use disputes. She defends actions seeking certification of nationwide and statewide class actions. 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.

In addition, 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. 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.

Joanne’s leadership roles within the legal community are wide-ranging. She currently serves as vice chair of The Florida Bar’s Federal Court Practice Committee and as co-chair of the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Diversity Internship Program, which she has helped lead since 2022. Joanne also is a member of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida’s West Palm Beach Federal Courthouse Committee and a member of several court-appointed panels both for federal and circuit courts. Most notably, she was appointed Defendants’ Liaison Counsel by 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 is a past chair of The Florida Bar’s Business Litigation Certification Committee and 15th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee and has served as president of the Federal Bar Association Palm Beach County Chapter, on the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, and as a director of the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches.

She has been named to Florida Trend's Legal Elite Notable - Women Leaders in Law since its 2023 inception and has been consistently selected by her peers for inclusion in industry publications including The 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.