JOSEPH D. O’NEIL
JOSEPH D. O’NEIL
Partner
Pleasant Hill
Joseph O’Neil obtained his J.D. from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in 2003, he worked as a campaign manager on numerous ballot initiatives in California and other states. Prior to that, Joseph received a B.A. in Applied Mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1994.
He was admitted to the California Bar in 2003, and is licensed to practice in several United States District Courts.
His practice areas include construction defect, real property, real estate fraud, personal injury, landlord tenant, commercial business disputes, and appellate advocacy. He has a variety of personal interests including diving and game theory.
He has been principal trial lawyer in numerous jury verdicts, including a recent defense verdict in a contentious landlord-tenant lawsuit where tenants in Oakland sought $3.5M in damages, but after trial defendants were awarded $500,000 in costs and attorney’s fees.
EDUCATION
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
Juris Doctorate, 2003
University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics, Probability Theory, 1994
ADMISSIONS
State Bar of California
Several Federal Courts
McNamara, Ambacher, Wheeler, Hirsig & Gray LLP, Pleasant Hill, CA ____-present
Tarkington O’Neill Barrack & Chong, San Francisco, CA July 2017-______
Litigation Attorney
*Obtained very favorable result representing a landlord in San in four-week jury trial as principal attorney Truong v. Wu, Case No. CGC-17-558076
*Prevailed on appeal, citable case Sarkany v. West (2022) 82 Cal.App.5th 801. Established right of indigent appellate to waiver of bond on appeal per CCP § 995.240
*Represented tech companies in Santa Clara in “poaching” dispute
*Successful resolution of multiple cases as principal attorney from intake to settlement at mediation
*Extensive law and motion experience, including anti-SLAPP motion in malicious prosecution action
*Obtained specialized knowledge of the SF Rent Ordinance
*Prevailed in Alameda County landlord-tenant case McAdoo v. Wellington, where tenants sued for $3.5M.
Obtained Defense verdict of $500K after award of costs and fees
*Litigated a variety of cases, from “dog bite” cases, automobile accidents, Americans with Disabilities cases, tree fall cases involving personal injury, and many more
*Became one of the principal “go-to-attorneys” for difficult cases for Farmers Insurance. Worked closely with several high level senior claims adjusters at Farmers
Chiarelli & Mollica LLP, Walnut Creek, CA 2015+
Litigation Attorney, Contract Attorney
*Extensive experience in complex business litigation/shareholder derivative suit
*Represent clients in complex commercial litigation
*Represent property owners in landlord-tenant disputes
*Legal research and draft pleadings for numerous attorneys in Northern California
*Represent banks in complex financial litigation
CVM Law Group LLP, Sacramento, CA 2009-April 2015
Litigation Attorney
* Successfully represented clients in numerous construction defect cases against developers, real estate agents, and landlords throughout California. Issues involved were SB 800, Davis-Sterling Act, interpretation and litigation of CC&Rs, the standard of care for new home construction, ASTM Standards, the Uniform Building Code, etc.
* Represented homeowner Dominguez in case # S-1500-CV-263240 in 3 week jury trial, verdict of $140,000 in favor of client in suit against unlicensed contractor and real estate agents for fraud in construction and sale of home
* Represented homeowner Kendall in case # 07AS00932 in Sac Co. in 1.5 week jury trial, verdict of $150,000 in favor of client in breach of contract action by homeowner against contractor
* Practice included representation of title insurance carriers in resolving wrongful foreclosure and subrogation
* Successful in permanently enjoining wrongful foreclosures and overcoming anti-foreclosure suits in numerous cases
* Successful representation of numerous commercial and residential property owners in UD actions, including contested trials
* Represented banks and escrow companies in numerous post-foreclosure proceedings
* Practice included representation of major title insurers and banks
* Represented employer in wrongful termination action resulting in voluntary dismissal with prejudice
* Experienced in real estate transactional work on large dollar commercial transactions
* Experienced estate and trust litigation
* Successful Appellate experience
* Administrative Law trial experience
Private Practice, Roseville, CA Jul 2008- 2009
Litigation Attorney
* Represented Certified Restoration Inc. case # 04AS01198 in Sac Co. in 1.5 week jury trial, verdict of $160,000 in favor of client in suit by emergency services restoration contractor against homeowner
* Practice included successful administrative trial before the EDD — EDD’s claims against client claiming his independent contractors were employees were denied
* Practice included hearings before the Dept. Labor
* Maintained personal injury practice
* Gained experience in post-judgment collections including recording judgment at County Recorder’s office
* Maintained excellent client relations and gained business development and accounting skills
Hansen Cuthane, I hls, Jones, & Sommer, Roseville, CA 2008-Jul 2008
Litigation
* Practice specializing in legal malpractice (“case within a case”)
* Successfully resolved multi-million dollar claims involving allegations of investor fraud, personal injury, family law, etc
* Gained experience working closely with insurance carriers and preparing litigation reports
Miller Law Inc., Folsom, CA 2004-Dec 2007
Litigation Attorney
* Attorney of record for over 300 cases
* Experienced bad faith attorney who litigated claims against State Farm, Fire Insurance Exchange, SafeCo. etc.
* Experienced real estate attorney who litigated claims against Lyon, ReMax, Century 21 etc.
* Experienced landlord/tenant attorney who litigated claims against CBRE and other major management companies/owners
* Experienced property rights attorney who successfully tried cases for easements and other land-use claims
* Principal attorney for six trials, including two jury trials to verdict with favorable results
* Maintained excellent client relations with ongoing business potential
King, Warwick & Sanders, Rancho Cordova, CA 2004
Attorney in the Claims Litigation Department of Farmers Insurance
* Worked on personal injury and homeowner’s claims
Independent Contractor, Western USA 1995-2001
Campaign Consultant
*Managed numerous political campaigns including state ballot initiatives and candidate races in several states
*Supervised, organized, recruited, and trained people in offices of more than fifty people
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
CONTRA COSTA BAR ASSOCIATION
Experience
McNamara, Ambacher, Wheeler, Hirsig & Gray LLP, Pleasant Hill, CA ____-present
Tarkington O’Neill Barrack & Chong, San Francisco, CA July 2017-______
Litigation Attorney
*Obtained very favorable result representing a landlord in San in four-week jury trial as principal attorney Truong v. Wu, Case No. CGC-17-558076
*Prevailed on appeal, citable case Sarkany v. West (2022) 82 Cal.App.5th 801. Established right of indigent appellate to waiver of bond on appeal per CCP § 995.240
*Represented tech companies in Santa Clara in “poaching” dispute
*Successful resolution of multiple cases as principal attorney from intake to settlement at mediation
*Extensive law and motion experience, including anti-SLAPP motion in malicious prosecution action
*Obtained specialized knowledge of the SF Rent Ordinance
*Prevailed in Alameda County landlord-tenant case McAdoo v. Wellington, where tenants sued for $3.5M.
Obtained Defense verdict of $500K after award of costs and fees
*Litigated a variety of cases, from “dog bite” cases, automobile accidents, Americans with Disabilities cases, tree fall cases involving personal injury, and many more
*Became one of the principal “go-to-attorneys” for difficult cases for Farmers Insurance. Worked closely with several high level senior claims adjusters at Farmers
Chiarelli & Mollica LLP, Walnut Creek, CA 2015+
Litigation Attorney, Contract Attorney
*Extensive experience in complex business litigation/shareholder derivative suit
*Represent clients in complex commercial litigation
*Represent property owners in landlord-tenant disputes
*Legal research and draft pleadings for numerous attorneys in Northern California
*Represent banks in complex financial litigation
CVM Law Group LLP, Sacramento, CA 2009-April 2015
Litigation Attorney
* Successfully represented clients in numerous construction defect cases against developers, real estate agents, and landlords throughout California. Issues involved were SB 800, Davis-Sterling Act, interpretation and litigation of CC&Rs, the standard of care for new home construction, ASTM Standards, the Uniform Building Code, etc.
* Represented homeowner Dominguez in case # S-1500-CV-263240 in 3 week jury trial, verdict of $140,000 in favor of client in suit against unlicensed contractor and real estate agents for fraud in construction and sale of home
* Represented homeowner Kendall in case # 07AS00932 in Sac Co. in 1.5 week jury trial, verdict of $150,000 in favor of client in breach of contract action by homeowner against contractor
* Practice included representation of title insurance carriers in resolving wrongful foreclosure and subrogation
* Successful in permanently enjoining wrongful foreclosures and overcoming anti-foreclosure suits in numerous cases
* Successful representation of numerous commercial and residential property owners in UD actions, including contested trials
* Represented banks and escrow companies in numerous post-foreclosure proceedings
* Practice included representation of major title insurers and banks
* Represented employer in wrongful termination action resulting in voluntary dismissal with prejudice
* Experienced in real estate transactional work on large dollar commercial transactions
* Experienced estate and trust litigation
* Successful Appellate experience
* Administrative Law trial experience
Private Practice, Roseville, CA Jul 2008- 2009
Litigation Attorney
* Represented Certified Restoration Inc. case # 04AS01198 in Sac Co. in 1.5 week jury trial, verdict of $160,000 in favor of client in suit by emergency services restoration contractor against homeowner
* Practice included successful administrative trial before the EDD — EDD’s claims against client claiming his independent contractors were employees were denied
* Practice included hearings before the Dept. Labor
* Maintained personal injury practice
* Gained experience in post-judgment collections including recording judgment at County Recorder’s office
* Maintained excellent client relations and gained business development and accounting skills
Hansen Cuthane, I hls, Jones, & Sommer, Roseville, CA 2008-Jul 2008
Litigation
* Practice specializing in legal malpractice (“case within a case”)
* Successfully resolved multi-million dollar claims involving allegations of investor fraud, personal injury, family law, etc
* Gained experience working closely with insurance carriers and preparing litigation reports
Miller Law Inc., Folsom, CA 2004-Dec 2007
Litigation Attorney
* Attorney of record for over 300 cases
* Experienced bad faith attorney who litigated claims against State Farm, Fire Insurance Exchange, SafeCo. etc.
* Experienced real estate attorney who litigated claims against Lyon, ReMax, Century 21 etc.
* Experienced landlord/tenant attorney who litigated claims against CBRE and other major management companies/owners
* Experienced property rights attorney who successfully tried cases for easements and other land-use claims
* Principal attorney for six trials, including two jury trials to verdict with favorable results
* Maintained excellent client relations with ongoing business potential
King, Warwick & Sanders, Rancho Cordova, CA 2004
Attorney in the Claims Litigation Department of Farmers Insurance
* Worked on personal injury and homeowner’s claims
Independent Contractor, Western USA 1995-2001
Campaign Consultant
*Managed numerous political campaigns including state ballot initiatives and candidate races in several states
*Supervised, organized, recruited, and trained people in offices of more than fifty people
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
CONTRA COSTA BAR ASSOCIATION
