John P. Connell, Esq.

John P. Connell received a Bachelors of Arts degree from Boston College in 1989 and a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law in 1992. John first law clerked and then practiced law as an attorney in Chicago, Illinois from 1990 through April 1995 with the law firms of Kusper & Raucci Chartered and The Law Offices of Theodore M. Becker, P.C. John established his own law practice in Massachusetts in 1994 while continuing to maintain a practice in Chicago, and then devoted his full time to the practice of law in Massachusetts when he formed the Law Offices of John P. Connell, P.C. in January 1997.

Throughout his legal career, John has concentrated his practice primarily in the area of civil litigation and licensing, particularly that area of licensing having to deal with alcoholic beverages, entertainment and professional licenses. John has represented individuals and businesses of all sizes in many areas of civil litigation, including contract matters, employment discrimination, securities’ fraud, fiduciary responsibilities, professional misconduct and corporate management disputes.

Before becoming an attorney in 1992, John worked for ten years in the restaurant industry, holding such positions as dishwasher, busboy, waiter and bartender, and in such ground-level positions he developed a life-long endearment for the food and beverage industry. Throughout his legal career, therefore, John has excelled in his representation of clients both in the international wine industry, and in the business of operating restaurants in Massachusetts.

With regard to clients in the alcoholic beverages industry, John represents European wineries; US importers and brokers; US manufacturers; Massachusetts wholesalers, breweries, wineries and distilleries; and Massachusetts restaurants and liquor stores. With particular regard to manufacturers, John has fully licensed dozens of Massachusetts’ breweries, wineries and distilleries at the TTB level, the Massachusetts ABCC level and then at the municipal level for their pouring licenses. This area of the law also requires the skills of lease and distribution agreement drafting, defending licensees at violation hearings and complex regulatory investigations that are skills learned during John’s almost three decades of courtroom litigation experience.

John’s appellate practice in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Appellate Division of the District Court, and the Illinois Appeals Court has generated the following decisions of note: Rivera vs. Broad Street Enterprises, Inc., d/b/a “The Bar Room,” Mass. App. Ct. No. 16-P-618 (2017); AIF Realty v. TD Banknorth, N.A., 74 Mass. App. Ct. 1118 (2009); Correia v. Fagan, 452 Mass. 120 (2008); Chan v. Chen, 70 Mass. App. Ct. 79 (2007); Ureneck v. Ping Cui, 59 Mass. App. Ct. 809 (2003); Phoenix Ins. Co. v. Churchwell, 57 Mass. App. Ct. 612 (2003); Rainbow Int’l Marriage Service v. Cui, 2002 Mass. App. Div. 34 (2002); O’Rourke v. Access Health, Inc., 282 Ill. App. 3d 394 (1996); Cano v. Village of Dolton, 250 Ill. App. 3d 130 (1993); and Bender vs. Bd. Of Fire & Police Commissioners, 254 Ill. App. 3d 488 (1993).

John’s practice before the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission has generated the following additional decisions of note: In Re: Local Vines & Gourmet, LLC, (ABCC Decision dated September 5, 2017); In Re: Alfred Addezio d/b/a Salute (ABCC Decision dated October 24, 2017); KT Liquor Wholesale, Inc. vs. JS America, Inc. (ABCC Decision dated October 28, 2015); In Re: Karen A. McGovern d/b/a Puffins Restaurant (ABCC Decision dated November 13, 2014); In Re: Northeast Package Store, LLC d/b/a GPS Wine & Spirits (ABCC Decision dated November 24, 2014); In Re: Murflix, Inc. d/b/a Murphy’s Liquor Store (ABCC Decision dated March 21, 2013); In Re: Karen A. McGovern d/b/a Puffins Restaurant (ABCC Decision dated April 9, 2013); In Re: Porta Bella Beverage, Inc. d/b/a West Corner Liquors ABCC Decision dated September 30, 2013); In Re: Gatnick Imports, (ABCC Decision dated October 16, 2017).

As part of his litigation practice, John also regularly tries jury and bench trials in the various state courts located in Massachusetts. John has obtained successful verdicts at trial for both plaintiffs and defendants, and personally attends to every aspect of trial preparation and presentation.