National law firm Wilson Elser is pleased to announce the promotion of Carolyn F. O’Connor to regional managing partner of the firm’s New Jersey office.
On January 1, 2013, Ms. O’Connor assumed the helm from James Crawford Orr, who opened Wilson Elser’s New Jersey office in 1983.
“I am pleased with the selection of Carolyn to succeed me,” shared Mr. Orr. “Carolyn and I have worked closely over the years, and I know that she is a true professional who will provide the leadership to carry on the great tradition of the New Jersey office.”
Ms. O’Connor has been with Wilson Elser for 25 years, joining the firm after earning her J.D., with honors, from Rutgers School of Law. Over the years, she has developed a thriving litigation practice focused on product liability, toxic tort and premises liability matters.
She has earned an AV® Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer review rating, and has been named one of New Jersey’s Top Rated Lawyers.
In 2010, Wilson Elser Chairman Daniel McMahon named Ms. O’Connor chair of Wilson Elser’s newly formed Pro Bono Committee. In that position, she has succeeded in launching and growing the firm’s commitment to pro bono. She also assists the firm’s Women’s Networking Committee with local and national events and is a member of the firm’s Associate Compensation Committee.
Ms. O’Connor is active in the legal community as a member of the American Bar Association’s Litigation and Tort and Insurance Practice Sections and the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section. She previously served as a delegate to the Essex County Bar Association, chaired the Product Liability Committee of the New Jersey Defense Association and was a member of the District V Ethics Committee.
She is admitted to practice in New Jersey in the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Prior to earning her J.D., Ms. O’Connor, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg College (1984).
Wilson Elser, a full-service and leading defense litigation law firm (www.wilsonelser.com), serves its clients with nearly 800 attorneys in 24 offices in the United States and through a network of affiliates in key regions globally. Founded in 1978, it ranks among the top 100 law firms identified by The American Lawyer and is included in the top 50 of The National Law Journal's survey of the nation’s largest law firms. Wilson Elser serves a growing, loyal base of clients with innovative thinking and an in-depth understanding of their respective businesses.
