Profile
James E. O’Connor’s practice focuses on providing representation for clients with respect to the development, acquisition and use of technology and other forms of intellectual property. In addition, he assists clients with matters involving e-commerce, the internet, privacy and security, risk assessments and emerging technologies. Jim represents clients in the financial, health, technology and cyber industries.
Prior to joining the firm in 1999, Jim worked for a Fortune 500 insurance company for 17 years in various positions including Special Technologies Counsel and Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer. He has also served as Secretary and General Counsel for a national software development and services company.
Jim is an adjunct professor at Creighton Law School and is a Nebraska Commissioner on the Uniform Law Commission.
Jim is also is a member of the Omaha Bar Association, Nebraska Bar Association, the Computer Law Association and the American Bar Association’s Section of Intellectual Property Law and Section of Science & Technology. Since 2006, he has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the fields of Copyright Law, Information Technology Law, & Trademark Law and was named the Best Lawyers’ Omaha Copyright Law “Lawyer of the Year” in 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023, and the Trademark Law “Lawyer of the Year” in 2013, 2020, and 2024. He is included in Great Plains Super Lawyers for his work in Information Technology/Outsourcing.
Areas of Practice
Education
- Notre Dame, J.D., 1978
- University of Nebraska at Omaha, B.A., 1975
Professional & Civic Affiliations
- Commissioner, Nebraska Uniform Law Commission
- Commissioner, Uniform Law Commission
- Omaha Bar Association
- Nebraska Bar Association
Bar & Court Admissions
- Nebraska, 1982
- Wisconsin, 1978
Selected Practice Highlights
- Extensive experience in negotiating contracts for mission critical data processing, telecommunications and related technologies
- Assisting clients in handling data breaches, ranging from cases involving lost portable devices to sophisticated exploits involving cyber-hacking and computer viruses
- Assisting in the startup and providing on-going representation to statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE)
- In-depth expertise regarding privacy and security issues in the banking, insurance and healthcare industries including assisting in identifying risks and mitigation strategies
- Drafting and negotiating vendor standard contracts for several national software vendors in the financial, healthcare and energy sectors