James D. O'Leary

Email Address: oleary@onderlaw.com

Jim was born and raised St. Louis, Missouri. Jim graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1992 and attended law school at St. Louis University School of Law where he graduated in 1995.

Jim is a founding partner of the firm. Jim concentrates his practice in injury litigation and torts, including negligence, truck and bicycle crashes, construction and workplace injuries, electric shock and electrocution, spinal and brain injuries, premises liability and negligent hiring or supervision resulting in criminal acts of molestation, rape and sexual assault, defectively designed or constructed roads or structures, and products liability, including construction equipment, medical device and pharmaceuticals.

In 2005, Jim tried a case in Jefferson County Circuit Court, Kohlfeld v. Rock Hill Mechanical Corp., involving a construction site fall resulting in spinal and brain injuries. Jim obtained a $9,000,000 unanimous verdict on a no offer case from the insurance company, which is the largest personal injury verdict in the history of Jefferson County, Missouri.

Later that same year, Jim was successful in obtaining a $1,500,000 settlement for a sexual assault and rape victim at Plaza Square Apartments in the City of St. Louis, N.R. v. Plaza Square Partners, L.L.C., et al., which is believed to be the largest reported settlement of a sexual assault case against an apartment complex in the state.

In February, 2010, Jim successfully tried the case of Willett v. Harsco Corporation d/b/a Patent Construction Systems, involving a construction site accident resulting in spinal injuries. Jim obtained a $1,100,000 unanimous verdict in St. Clair County, Illinois Circuit Court on a no offer case from the insurance company. This verdict is one of the largest personal injury verdicts in St. Clair County over the past ten years.

Jim was recently successful in resolving a child's bicycle crash resulting in a brain injury, Kramer v. Bax Engineering, et. al. Jim proved the crash was caused by a defectively constructed road. The insurance companies for the contractors which designed, built and maintained the road settled the case with the family for $8,300,000. This settlement is believed to be the largest personal injury settlement in St. Charles County history.

Jim is a member of the Board of Governors for the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, an organization that fights to protect the interests of victims of negligence, torts, dangerous products and consumer fraud.

Jim is admitted to practice law in Missouri and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri. Jim is a Martindale-Hubbell AV rated attorney, indicating the highest level of legal ability and ethics, which is received by less than 10% of practicing attorneys.

Furthermore, Jim was named a Missouri Super Lawyer in 2005, and recently in 2010, which represents the top 5% of practicing lawyers in the state of Missouri. Jim is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, of which less than 1% of practicing lawyers in the United States would qualify.

Jim has tried numerous bench and jury trials in St. Louis County, St. Louis City, Jefferson County, and Federal Court. Several of his cases have been highlighted in local news reports and papers, including the St. Louis Post Dispatch and Missouri Lawyers Weekly.

Jim lives in St. Louis with his wife and three children.