John O’Connor

Hi, I am John O’Connor, the current President of Solo Practice University.

I remember the day I got laid off from my BigLaw job. We had an entire upper floor of the Wachovia tower in Charlotte, but most of the offices were vacant. The economy was in meltdown from the credit crisis of 2008. Eventually we all got laid off. No one was surprised.

Walking down the street that sunny afternoon, I felt a little nervous, but mostly relieved. I was free. Hanging a shingle came next, and I never looked back.

That BigLaw job was in Alston & Bird’s Global Finance group in Charlotte, where I represented master servicers in CMBS transactions. In October 2008 I opened The O’Connor Law Firm, a mass tort litigation and consumer protection practice, and ran it until 2014. I earned my J.D. at Michigan State University in 2006.

2008 was a transition for the legal profession like no other since. Today we sit at the threshold of another seismic shift, as AI changes the practice of law for good. SPU is here to help lawyers build strong, resilient practices that serve clients and make a profit, and to help solo and small firms use AI as a tailwind to thrive like never before.

AI fluency

I teach SPU’s AI fluency program: a practical curriculum for using AI in a small firm, covering tool selection, AI policy, and intake and drafting workflows. It’s refreshed every quarter so it keeps up with the tools.

I’ve been in legal marketing for 14 years and seen all sides of it, including hanging my own shingle. The web is changing fast, and small firms can compete like never before, as long as they have the right tools. I also build Associate and websites for law firms.