Criminal Defense & Civil attorneys

O'Leary Associates, P.A.

John O'Leary

John is a 1966 History graduate of The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina; earning his J.D. in 1969 from the University of Detroit, Detroit, Michigan.  In addition, John attended graduate school at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois (1970). He is a member of the State Bar Associations of South Carolina, Florida, and Michigan.
 Currently, John has offices in Columbia and Edisto Beach, South Carolina handling primarily DUI, drug cases, and criminal matters. He often testifies as an expert witness in police procedures, high speed chases, and other law enforcement practices. John serves as Counsel for the South Carolina Trooper's Association, assisting troopers with employment issues.  He has served as a trainer to Federal Law Enforcement throughout the United States on the issue of High Speed chases and presents at state legal and judicial seminars on DUI and law enforcement issues.  John joined the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, Columbia, SC staff in late 1973; serving as Staff Attorney and Legal instructor until his appointment as Director in 1982 serving until January 1988.
 John is past Chairman and Life Member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Legal Officer's Section, and past President of the National Association of State Directors of Law Enforcement Training (NASDLET).  He has also served as Legal Advisor and Special Officer to the Gary, Indiana Police Department and the Metropolitan Dade County Department of Public Safety, Miami, Florida. In late 1980, John was appointed to a Special, Non-Partisan Presidential Law Enforcement Task Force by President Ronald Reagan. In 1987, John was again appointed to a Law Enforcement Task Force on drugs sponsored by the White House Conference on a "Drug Free America." In addition, John has been appointed to several committees by both Governor Richard Riley and Governor Carroll Campbell in South Carolina. Such committees include Crime Delinquency and Juvenile Justice as well as Highway Traffic Safety and South Carolina Jail Commission.  John was recipient of the "Strom Thurmond Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement" in 1983. John served as a Deputy for the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department, Michigan (1967) and the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, Michigan (1969). In 1970, John was appointed to the then newly-created Office of Legal Coordinator for the Detroit Police Department by Commissioner Patrick Murphy, Detroit, Michigan.

Member Of:

• South Carolina Bar
• S.C. Trial Lawyers Association
• S.C. Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Bar Admissions

• South Carolina
• Florida
• Michigan
• U.S. District Court, South Carolina Division
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court