Civil Litigation
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John R. (Jack) Connelly, a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and numerous Trial Lawyer organizations in the United States, is consistently named to the Best Lawyers in America, and ranked in the top lawyers in Washington State. Super Lawyers Magazine has included him in the top 100 lawyers in Washington since 2003 , and Seattle Metropolitan Magazine ranks him as one of the foremost attorneys in the Seattle region. A member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), past President of the Washington Association for Justice (WSAJ) and of the Damages Attorneys Roundtable (DART) a charter member of the Crime Victim’s Bar Association, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, Connelly has been honored as Washington State’s Trial Lawyer of the Year by WSAJ in 2000, by ABOTA in 2007, and was selected as Lawyer of the Year in 2015, and 2018 for Seattle by Best Lawyers in America. Jack’s advocacy for Plaintiffs in numerous high profile cases has resulted in landmark verdicts and positive changes in laws protecting vulnerable citizens. Jack has been practicing law in the Puget Sound Area for over 42 years, entirely in representation of plaintiffs. PRACTICE AREASAll aspects of Plaintiffs Litigation; Wrongful Death; Police Misconduct; Sports Injuries; Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries; Civil Rights; Personal Injury; Products Liability; Highway Design; Professional Negligence; Medical Negligence; Governmental Liability; Commercial Litigation; Employment Litigation; Transportation Litigation; ADMITTED TO PRACTICE INMr. Connelly handles cases throughout Washington State. He has been invited to appear and handle cases in other states on behalf of Plaintiffs as well. All Washington Trial (State and Federal) and Appellate Courts; Federal Court: US District Courts for Western and Eastern Districts of Washington; Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; EDUCATION• Stanford University; B.A., Human Biology / Psychology, Palo Alto, CA. 1978; Stanford Varsity Swim Team – Block S Award; (4 year letterwinner); All-American Honors 1976, 1977 - Stanford 400 yd. Medley Relay;• Univ. of California, San Francisco, Law, JD 1981 Editor, Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly, 1980-1981• Extern Law Clerk, Honorable William H. Orrick, U.S. District Court, San Francisco, 1981• Lecturer and Instructor - Over 150 CLE and Trial Practice Courses over the past 39 years. COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT Sovereign Order of Malta KM – Seattle Chapter Tacoma Rainiers Professional Baseball Team – Ownership Group President – Pacific Harbors Counsel BSA Board of Directors 2018 to present Bellarmine Preparatory School – Board of Trustees Gonzaga Law School – Advisory Board 2018 to present President – Tacoma City Libraries 2016-2019 Board of Trustees – Tacoma Libraries – 2012-2019 President – City Club of Tacoma 2016-2019 Board of Trustees – City Club of Tacoma – 2013-17 Board of Directors – Tacoma/Pierce Co. Sports Museum Tacoma Athletic Commission – Member Tacoma Rotary 8 – Corporate Member President, Washington State Ass'n for Justice (WSAJ) - 2005-06 President, WSAJ Foundation - 2003-05 Board of Governors - Washington State Ass'n for Justice 1994 - 2007 Owner - The Highlands Golf Course Owner - McDuff’s Highlands Cafe Board Member - Healing the Culture Martin Luther King Housing Development Ass'n - Board Tacoma Baseball Foundation Board Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Ass’n Board of Trustees – 1991-1992Former Board Member:• Catholic Community Services SW• Lakewood Communities in Schools• Clover Park Vocational School FoundationCandidate: Washington State Senate 27th District - 2012Past Grand Knight - Council 809; Knights of ColumbusPast President Parish Council - St. Patrick's Church REPRESENTATIVE HONORS AND AWARDS America's Top 50 Lawyers - Civil Litigation - Washington - 2023 Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers Fellow, American Bar Foundation Best Lawyers in America – 16 years Washington Law & Politics - Top 100 Lawyers - Washington State Seattle Magazine's Best Lawyers; Seattle Area Puget Sound Business Journal - Best Lawyers Best Lawyers - Seattle Trial Lawyer of the Year 2015, 2019 American Board of Trial Advocates ABOTA (Plaintiff and Defense Bar) ABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year 2007 Washington State Trial Lawyer of the Year (2000) (WSAJ) Washington Damage Attorneys Round Table (DART) President DART – 2016-17 Rue Ratings Best Attorneys of America Platinum Member - The Verdict Club Washington Law & Politics Top 40 Personal Injury Lawyers in Washington State Washington Law & Politics, Super Lawyers 2003 – 2023 National Trial Lawyer's Ass'n - Top 100 Lawyers MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS International Academy of Trial Lawyers Washington State Bar Association American Bar Association American Ass'n for Justice Washington State Ass'n for Justice Damages Attorneys Roundtable American Board of Trial Advocates National Trial Lawyer's Ass'n. Fellow - American Bar Foundation Best Lawyers in America National Crime Victim's Bar Ass'n - Charter Member Connelly Law Offices; Principal - 2006 – Present Gordon Thomas Honeywell, Associate 1981-86; Partner 1981 - 2006; Board Chair 2001-02; Contact info:[email protected](855) 593-5100 Click here to visit website
Nancy Young
I engaged Jack Connelly for a multifaceted business dispute that involved contract breach, partnership dissolution, and potential real estate complications. His reputation as a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and his consistent recognition in Best Lawyers in America were major factors in my decision, and his performance validated those accolades. Jack possesses a remarkable ability to distill complex legal tangles into clear, strategic pathways. His general practice expertise was invaluable; he didn't treat my case as isolated issues but understood the interconnected nature of the problems, coordinating seamlessly with specialists when needed. His courtroom presence, honed through his extensive trial organization involvement, gave us tremendous leverage in negotiations, ultimately leading to a settlement that protected my business's core assets. The one area for note is that, given his high demand, there were occasional delays in email responses, which my corporate timeline sometimes found stressful. However, when it mattered, he was always available for critical discussions. For anyone in the Seattle area facing a serious legal challenge that doesn't fit neatly into one specialty, Jack Connelly's broad, deep, and highly respected practice is an outstanding choice.
