Mark S. O’Connor is a highly experienced trial attorney and member of Beus Gilbert McGroder PLLC, a premier boutique law firm concentrating on High Stakes Litigation, Real Estate and Zoning Law, and Plaintiffs Catastrophic Injury & Wrongful Death. Mr. O’Connor is a member of the firm’s High Stakes Litigation and Plaintiffs Catastrophic Injury & Wrongful Death practices. He is a certified specialist in the area of personal injury and wrongful death litigation by the State Bar of Arizona and has represented hundreds of victims of catastrophic injury and wrongful death throughout his career and served as lead trial counsel in numerous jury trials.
On March 21, 2017, Mark was appointed co-lead counsel for Plaintiffs in the multi-district litigation In Re: Bard IVC Filters Products Liability Litigation and co-liaison counsel in the related consolidated cases in the Maricopa County Superior Court. In March 2018, Mark and his trial team obtained a $3.6 million award in the first bellwether trial of the multi-district litigation. The June 2019 issue of Arizona Attorney included this verdict as one of the top ten civil verdicts in Arizona in 2018. The same article noted the award included the largest award of punitive damages in Arizona in 2018.
In July 2002, Mark undertook the pro bono representation of victims and families of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks for the Victim Compensation Fund. He is listed in “The Best Lawyers in America,” “Southwest Super Lawyers,” and “Top 100 Trial Lawyers.” In 2014, he was also elected by his peers as a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers.
Professional Distinctions
AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
The Best Lawyers in America®, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2009-2021
Southwest Super Lawyers®, Personal Injury – General: Plaintiff, 2009-2020
Arizona Finest Lawyers, 2011; Arizona Finest Lawyers, Sustaining Member, 2014-Present
The National Trial Lawyers Association, The Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America
Professional Certifications
Certified Specialist, Personal Injury/Wrongful Death, Arizona Board of Legal Specialization
Memberships & Activities
State Bar of Arizona, Member
Maricopa County Bar Association, Member
Arizona Association for Justice also known as Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors
American Association for Justice, Member
International Society of Barristers, Fellow
Publications
Informed Consent, NALA Facts & Findings, March/April 2015
Speaking Engagements
The State Bar of Arizona Professionalism Course, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) by the Sea, panelist
Arizona’s Top Ten-How They Did It, panelist
Practice Areas:
AVIATION DISASTERS | CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS | DRAM SHOP/BAR | DRUG AND MEDICAL DEVICE LITIGATION | FIRE AND EXPLOSIONS | INSURANCE AND BAD FAITH | LEGAL AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY | MEDICAL MALPRACTICE | MOTOR VEHICLE AND COMMERCIAL TRUCKING COLLISIONS | NEGLIGENCE | NURSING HOME AND ELDER ABUSE | DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS | SEXUAL ASSAULT/MISCONDUCT | WRONGFUL DEATH
COMMERICIAL LITIGATION
ADMISSIONS:
U.S. District Court – District of Arizona | Supreme Court of the State of Arizona
EDUCATION:
Northern Arizona University - B.S. | John Marshall Law School, J.D., with distinction
