O'Connell & O'Connell was
founded at the end of the nineteenth century, and members
of the family have maintained the active practice
representing both domestic and overseas clients ever since
that time.
Joseph F. O'Connell began his
practice of law upon graduation from Harvard Law School in
1897. Active in local Boston politics in an era dominated
with such notables as John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, the
grandfather of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and James
Michael Curley, Joe O'Connell's own political career led
him to serve two terms as a Member of Congress in the US
House of Representatives a century ago.
Following his defeat by Curley in 1910, he returned
to the practice of law in Boston with his new bride, the
daughter of a fellow Congressman from Pennsylvania. The two
raised a large family of eleven, three of whom were in time
to follow their father into the practice of law. He
continued the practice of law until his death in 1942.
His
brother,
Daniel T. O'Connell,
also practiced with Joe Sr. until Daniel was appointed to
the bench of the Massachusetts Superior Court in
1928. Uncle Don, as he was known, also sat as a judge
during the war crimes trials in Nuremberg, Germany,
following World War II. Click for more on the
RuSHA trial.
Another brother, James E. O'Connell,
was also a member of the firm during these years.
As mentioned, three siblings in the second generation
followed their father and uncles into the practice of law.
Joseph F. O'Connell, Jr. served as a Judge
Advocate in World War II in the South Pacific (pictured
here in New Zealand in March 1945) and Southwest Pacific
theaters. He left active duty later that year and returned
to Boston.
Once home, he continued as a reserve JAG officer rising to
the rank of Colonel, and rejoined the firm where he
practiced law until his untimely death in 1966. He had two
children, both of whom would follow their father into the
practice of law.
Lenahan O'Connell, who is still active
in the practice on a daily basis, was admitted to the
Massachusetts Bar in 1938. Following his service as a Judge
Advocate officer in the Southwest Pacific during World War
II, he too rejoined the firm and has been in practice now
for more than sixty years.
Frederick P. O'Connell, the third son in the
large family, served as a Lieutenant in the US Navy during
World War II. He returned to Boston after military service
to practice with the firm for a time before moving to
Kennebunk, Maine where he was subsequently admitted to
practice as well. After being appointed as Maine's
Commissioner for Veterans' Affairs, he relocated his
practice to Augusta, and remained there for the remainder
of his career. He served for a time as an Assistant
Attorney General and later as a permanent Commissioner on
Uniform State Laws. He was active in community affairs as
well, serving as an active Rotarian, and as Chairman of the
Augusta School Committee. He was to continue his general
practice of law until his death in 1990.
During their absences to serve in World War II, the
practice was maintained by their aunt, attorney
Margaret F. Lenahan, a graduate of Trinity
College and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Joseph F. O'Connell III, the grandson of
the firm's founder, was admitted to practice in 1975 in
Texas and Massachusetts, and in 1978 in the District of
Columbia. After some years working with Fortune 500
corporate clients in the insurance and reinsurance
industry, he joined O'Connell & O'Connell in 1997.
Recently retired after almost thirty years as a reserve
officer in the US Army, he was recalled to active service
twice, serving as a Judge Advocate General officer
specializing in international law in Saudi Arabia in
1990/1, and then again in Germany in 1996 as part of the
Dayton Peace Accords that ended fighting in
Bosnia-Herzegovina. He continues today as an adjunct
faculty member of the Defense Institute of International
Legal Studies, and has traveled to West Africa, Central
Asia and the Caucasus in connection with its seminars.
In addition to his law degree, he has also earned
post-graduate masters degrees in business and strategic
studies.
