John F. O'Brien III

Associate

John F. O’Brien III is an associate with Clausen Miller, P.C.  He concentrates his practice in the handling and trial of complex commercial, bankruptcy and tort litigation matters on a national basis in both Federal and State courts. 

Mr. O'Brien has extensive experience in multi-party matters involving bankruptcy, business litigation, products liability, intellectual property, subrogation, surety, professional liability and employment-related matters. 

Mr. O’Brien received his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law, where he served as a member of the Moot Court Bench and as Executive Member of the Frederick Green Moot Court Editorial Board.  He also served as Research Assistant to Professors Matthew W. Finkin and Andrew D. Leipold, and was a member of the Student-Faculty Hiring Committee.  Mr. O’Brien previously served as law clerk to Judge Arnold F. Blockman, of the Champaign County Circuit Court.  Mr. O'Brien received his M.M., with honors, from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a B.M., with highest distinction, from Northwestern University.  

Mr. O'Brien is a member of the Federal Trial Bar, the State Bar of Illinois, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Chicago Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute.

As a professional saxophonist, Mr. O'Brien has performed throughout the U.S. and abroad.  He has been a featured soloist with the Northwestern University Wind Ensemble, and has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Sinfonia da Camera.  Mr. O’Brien is a founding member of the Red Onion Saxophone Quartet, an ensemble that has taken numerous prizes in regional North American Saxophone Alliance Competitions, and was awarded the silver medal at the 2001 Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition.  His performances have been broadcast on various classical stations across the country, including WFMT, WFDD, WBEZ and WILL.

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, University of Illinois College of Law, 2006
  • M.M., with Honors, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2001
  • B.M., with Highest Distinction and Departmental Honors, Northwestern University, 1999

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, including Trial Bar, 2006
  • State of Illinois, 2006

Organization Affiliations

  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Lawyers Club of Chicago
  • American Bankruptcy Institute

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