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James P. O'Shea

James P. O'Shea, II

Partner
Overview

James is a staunch advocate for clients, defending major companies in toxic tort, product liability, and commercial litigation across the county.

A fierce litigator, James handles a wide variety of cases with a particular focus on premises liability, personal injury, product liability, design defect, and commercial litigation. James also serves as national coordinating counsel for toxic tort litigation, with a particular focus in Illinois’s Cook County and McLean County—two of the country’s most notoriously difficult jurisdictions for defendants.

While James’s focus is broader today, he cut his teeth on asbestos and toxic tort matters and still practices extensively in the toxic tort area. James brings a working-class perspective to his cases, thanks to this mother, who worked as a union electrician. This allows him to understand the finer points of the work itself and the mechanics of how an incident or exposure would have occurred. Born and raised in the city of Chicago, he understands the jurisdiction on a visceral level as, he grew up in its neighborhoods.

James has worked extensively in each phase of litigation and approaches each case holistically, to obtain the best resolution possible for clients. While he is a litigator who’s not afraid to go the distance for clients, he routinely collaborates with clients at the inception and throughout the case to enact the strategy that is best for their needs.

Prior to joining the firm, James clerked as a legal extern for the Honorable Judge John W. Darrah, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Industries

Services

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America
    • Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action - Defendants, 2021-2025
    • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2021-2025
  • Illinois Super Lawyers
    • Rising Star, Civil Litigation, 2018-2023
  • Irish Legal 100, 2024

Education

  • J.D., The John Marshall Law School
    • Order of John Marshall
    • Student Bar Association, President
    • John Marshall Law Review
  • B.A., Purdue University
    • with distinction
    • Psychology major, sociology minor

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Pennsylvania
  • Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • American Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Helenic Bar Association


*Contact James to set up an in-person consultation by appointment in the Chicago office.
Experience

Asbestos Litigation

  • Served as national coordinating counsel for defense of asbestos litigation on behalf of global Fortune 500 company. Supervised local counsel in California, Louisiana, Hawaii, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina, developing global strategies for defense of these matters, including settlement and trial strategies.
  • Negotiated dismissals and settlement packages with various plaintiffs' firms regarding asbestos claims in order to serve clients in most efficient manner.
  • Defended numerous clients in hundreds of fact and expert witness depositions in various toxic tort matters.
  • Routinely attended monthly motion and trial calls in multiple jurisdictions for various toxic tort matters.

Other Experience

  • Represented individuals in probate matters and successfully advocated for clients in various probate challenges.
  • Reviewed and negotiated contracts in entertainment matters.
News Releases | November 07, 2022
Husch Blackwell Elects 29 to 2023 New Partner Class
Media Mentions | October 2020
Best Lawyers® 2021: The Midwest Issue
News Releases | May 28, 2020
Husch Blackwell Named CLOC's Inaugural Legal Innovation in Operations Project Award Winner

Husch Blackwell is believed to be the only law firm to date to be recognized by both the CLOC LIO Project and ACC Value Champion award series for its ability to implement legal solutions that cut spending, improve predictability and achieve better outcomes.

Outside the Office

A Chicago-city native, James is slowly restoring his barn-find 1970 Dodge Charger R/T SE. He enjoys annual trips to visit his in-laws throughout Colombia, as well as vacations to the Caribbean, South America and Europe. He recently went on a hiking trip to Machu Picchu. The Mykonos Islands in Greece and Rosario Islands of Colombia are two of his favorite spots. James and his wife are starting a family and will soon bring a little one on their travels.