This past weekend, Kimmel Carter Partner Jonathan O’Neill was voted President of the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association at the Association’s annual convention in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Firm President William Peltz, Managing Partner Larry Kimmel, and Jon all spoke at the convention, which was held on Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 at the Atlantic Sands Hotel and Casino. The event brought together members of the justice-focused association to network and to attend lectures for CLE (Continuing Legal Education) credits.
The highlight of the weekend was the group lunch on Friday, where DTLA President Yvonne Saville introduced Jon as the incoming president. Jon also took the opportunity to present Ms. Saville with the prestigious DTLA “Eagle of Justice” award, which recognizes an attorney who has gone above and beyond to promote the civil justice system in Delaware. Kimmel Carter Partner Ed Carter is part of the small group of attorneys who have also received the award.
Earlier in the day, Bill Peltz addressed updates to Delaware case law, one of his areas of expertise, along with attorney Ben Schwartz. In the afternoon, Larry Kimmel, who was on the convention’s planning committee, introduced well-known Philadelphia trial attorneys Shanin Specter and Robert Mongeluzzi as well as Delaware attorney Stuart Grant and New Jersey attorney Michael Brusca before they spoke to the DTLA audience.
Larry also gave a presentation at the convention titled “Defining and Treating Acute Spinal Injuries” along with Dr. James Zavlavsky of First State Orthopedics, while Jon discussed third party litigation in workers’ compensation cases with attorney Sam Pratcher.
Among other goals, the DTLA sets out to seek justice for all, to preserve the constitutional right to trial by jury, and to further the rule of law and the civil justice system. These objectives are also core to Kimmel Carter’s mission, and the firm’s attorneys dedicate themselves to the DTLA’s important work through active membership and leadership roles in the Association and other similar groups.
A Past-President of the DTLA and an active member of the DTLA Legislative Committee, Larry Kimmel played a key role in passing Delaware’s new underinsured motorist laws, along with other laws that protect the legal rights of personal injury plaintiffs and workers’ compensation claimants. During his time as chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Delaware State Bar Association, Larry led efforts to create the first online database of Delaware workers’ compensation cases, which was aimed at expanding access to justice by providing attorneys across the state with access to the same case law data.
Jon is a co-chair of the DTLA Legislative Committee and he is eager to further promote justice in Delaware as the Association’s new president. He has previously been named to the Delaware Today “Top Lawyers” list and the Delaware Super Lawyers Rising Stars list.
