Headshot of Jerome F. O'Neill

Jerome F. O’Neill

In Memoriam 1946-2023

Jerry O’Neill was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar in 1971. After a period of service in 1971-1972 as an active duty U.S. Army Officer, he was a law clerk to the Honorable Sylvia Bacon, a Judge of the District of Columbia Superior Court in 1972. He then clerked for Vermont U.S. District Court Judge Albert W. Coffrin in 1972-73. In 1973 he joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont in Rutland as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. He became the First Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1975, moving to Burlington to open the office there in 1976. He served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney until May 1981 when the U.S. District Court Judges for the District of Vermont appointed him U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont. Since 1981 he has been in private practice in Burlington and was the senior partner of O’Neill Kellner & Green for 26 years. He teaches on trial advocacy topics for the American Association for Justice throughout the United States.

Jerry has obtained multi-million dollar verdicts for clients, including sexual assault survivors.  The highest verdict was $32 million dollars.

Practice Areas

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. 1971
  • Georgetown University, B.S. 1968

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • Vermont Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • New York Court of Appeals

Memberships & Affiliations

  • Fellow, International Society of Barristers
  • Board Member and Past President, Vermont Association for Justice
  • Co-Chair, Election Committee, American Association for Justice
  • Co-Chair, Jury Bias Litigation Group, American Association for Justice
  • Chair, Child Sex Abuse Litigation Group, American Association for Justice
  • Past Co-Chair, Board of the National College of Advocacy, American Association for Justice
  • Past President, National Crime Victim Bar Association
  • Advisory Board, National Crime Victim Bar Association
  • Board of Governors, American Association for Justice
  • Past Chair, Vermont Supreme Court Evidence Rules Advisory Committee
  • Board Member, Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services
  • Member, U.S. District Court Advisory Committee
  • Member, Chittenden County, Vermont and American Bar Associations

Honors

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© since 1991
  • Listed in New England Super Lawyers since 2007
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating in Martindale-Hubbell since 1983
  • Named as a “litigation star” in Benchmark’s Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys since 2008
  • Wiedemann & Wysocki Award, American Association for Justice

Representative Matters

  • More than 75 jury trials.
  • $42.5 million court trial judgment for woman injured in car crash.
  • $8.7 million jury verdict for child sex abuse survivor.
  • $2.6 million jury verdict for child sex abuse survivor.
  • $480,000 settlement for woman molested by her father.
  • $35 million jury verdict for child sex abuse survivor molested by her father.