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Lawyer Profile

Image of Dennis M. O'Hara

Dennis M. O'Hara

Wicker Smith O'Hara McCoy & Ford P.A.
  • Recognized Since:
    2007
  • Recognized in:
    Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
  • Website:
    http://www.wickersmith.com
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    (954) 847.4800
  • Location:
    SunTrust Center, Suite 1400
    515 East Las Olas Boulevard
    Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Dennis M. O’Hara joined Wicker Smith in 1974 residing in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale and Coral Gables office. In his 30+ year career, Mr. O’Hara has served as lead counsel or sole attorney in numerous civil jury trials involving aviation law, commercial litigation, complex litigation and products liability.

Mr. O’Hara has been involved in Aviation Law since the late 1970’s. Over the years, he has handled both commercial and general aviation cases, representing clients such as AIG Aviation, Allianz Aviation, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Global Aerospace, Starr Aviation, USAIRWAYS, United States Aviation Underwriters and XL Aerospace. He has been involved in major aviation air disasters, including acting as lead counsel for Valujet in the multi-district litigation for the Valujet crash in the Florida Everglades on May 11, 1996, and the Bahamas crash of the Cessna 402 carrying the entertainer, Aaliyah. He represented Delta Airlines in the January 9, 1997, Comair crash of an Embraer Air-120 outside of Detroit, Michigan.  He also served as lead counsel for Chalks in the incident involving the crash of their Grumman Mallard seaplane that occurred in Miami harbor on December 19, 2005, and he was involved as counsel for Comair and Delta Air Lines in the Lexington, Kentucky crash of Comair Flight 5191, which occurred on August 27, 2006. In addition, he has served as co-counsel for US Airways in the 2014 flight 1702 crash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He has been involved in the handling of numerous general aviation matters on behalf of aircraft manufacturers, fixed base operators, and owner/operators, including the Miami Heat.

In his healthcare work, he has defended healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies and other health care related clients in cases concerning issues related to wrongful death, infant death, brain damage, paralysis, surgical and nursing issues both in Pennsylvania and Florida. Mr. O’Hara serves as counsel for the Swiss Hoffmann-La Roche companies, namely F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd and Roche Holdings Ltd. He also served as counsel for NutriSystem, Inc. in the class action litigation involving over 300 lawsuits concerning the NutriSystem Weight Loss Centers.Mr. O’Hara has earned an AV® Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating awarded by that organization. He has also been named among “Florida’s Legal Elite” by Florida Trend Magazine and one of the “Top Lawyers” by the South Florida Legal Guide from 2005 to 2015, as well as Florida Super Lawyers from 2006 to 2017 and Best Lawyers in America from 2007 to 2017. Mr. O’Hara was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL) in 1999. In 2011, Mr. O’Hara was one of only six Florida attorneys named to the International Who’s Who list of Product Liability Defense Lawyers.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College in 1965, Mr. O’Hara went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Villanova University in 1968. Mr. O’Hara is a member of the Florida, Pennsylvania and Colorado Bar. He is admitted to all Florida Courts and is active in the Miami-Dade and Broward County Bar Associations, International Association of Defense Counsel, American Society of Law and Medicine, the Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Council, the Florida Defense Lawyers Association, the Defense Research Institute and is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

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  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details
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Lawyer Bio

Dennis M. O’Hara joined Wicker Smith in 1974 residing in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale and Coral Gables office. In his 30+ year career, Mr. O’Hara has served as lead counsel or sole attorney in numerous civil jury trials involving aviation law, commercial litigation, complex litigation and products liability.

Mr. O’Hara has been involved in Aviation Law since the late 1970’s. Over the years, he has handled both commercial and general aviation cases, representing clients such as AIG Aviation, Allianz Aviation, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Global Aerospace, Starr Aviation, USAIRWAYS, United States Aviation Underwriters and XL Aerospace. He has been involved in major aviation air disasters, including acting as lead counsel for Valujet in the multi-district litigation for the Valujet crash in the Florida Everglades on May 11, 1996, and the Bahamas crash of the Cessna 402 carrying the entertainer, Aaliyah. He represented Delta Airlines in the January 9, 1997, Comair crash of an Embraer Air-120 outside of Detroit, Michigan.  He also served as lead counsel for Chalks in the incident involving the crash of their Grumman Mallard seaplane that occurred in Miami harbor on December 19, 2005, and he was involved as counsel for Comair and Delta Air Lines in the Lexington, Kentucky crash of Comair Flight 5191, which occurred on August 27, 2006. In addition, he has served as co-counsel for US Airways in the 2014 flight 1702 crash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He has been involved in the handling of numerous general aviation matters on behalf of aircraft manufacturers, fixed base operators, and owner/operators, including the Miami Heat.

In his healthcare work, he has defended healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies and other health care related clients in cases concerning issues related to wrongful death, infant death, brain damage, paralysis, surgical and nursing issues both in Pennsylvania and Florida. Mr. O’Hara serves as counsel for the Swiss Hoffmann-La Roche companies, namely F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd and Roche Holdings Ltd. He also served as counsel for NutriSystem, Inc. in the class action litigation involving over 300 lawsuits concerning the NutriSystem Weight Loss Centers.Mr. O’Hara has earned an AV® Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating awarded by that organization. He has also been named among “Florida’s Legal Elite” by Florida Trend Magazine and one of the “Top Lawyers” by the South Florida Legal Guide from 2005 to 2015, as well as Florida Super Lawyers from 2006 to 2017 and Best Lawyers in America from 2007 to 2017. Mr. O’Hara was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL) in 1999. In 2011, Mr. O’Hara was one of only six Florida attorneys named to the International Who’s Who list of Product Liability Defense Lawyers.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College in 1965, Mr. O’Hara went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Villanova University in 1968. Mr. O’Hara is a member of the Florida, Pennsylvania and Colorado Bar. He is admitted to all Florida Courts and is active in the Miami-Dade and Broward County Bar Associations, International Association of Defense Counsel, American Society of Law and Medicine, the Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Council, the Florida Defense Lawyers Association, the Defense Research Institute and is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

  • Bar & Court Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Additional Information
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge

Bar Admissions:

  • Pennsylvania, 1968
  • Florida, 1972
  • Colorado, 1974
 

Court Admissions:

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida including Trial Bar

Affiliations:

  • International Association of Defense Counsel - Member
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • American Society of Law & Medicine - Member
  • Broward County - Member
  • Colorado Bar - Member
  • Dade County - Member
  • Defense Research Institute - Member
  • Florida Defense Lawyers Association - Member
  • Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Council - Member
  • International Academy of Trial Lawyers - Board of Directors
  • International Academy of Trial Lawyers - Long Range Planning Committee
  • Lehigh County Bar Association - Member
  • Pennsylvania Bar - Member
  • Special Magistrate Village of Key Biscayne, FL - Member
  • The Florida Bar - Member

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for:

  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Fort Lauderdale (2017)
 

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
 

Awards:

  • Best Lawyers in America, 2007-present
  • Florida Super Lawyers
  • International Who’s Who of Product Liability Defense Lawyers
  • South Florida Legal Guide “Top Lawyers”
  • Daily Business Review’s Most Effective Lawyer, 2007-Finalist
  • Benchmark Litigation's "Litigation Stars", Commercial Litigation & Products Liability
  • Top Defense Lawyer in Florida by Florida Trend Magazine
  • Florida Trend Magazine’s “Florida Legal Elite”

Special Focus:

  • Aviation
  • Aviation Litigation
  • Class Actions
  • Insurance
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Firm Details

Image for Wicker Smith O'Hara McCoy & Ford P.A. View Firm Profile
Wicker Smith O'Hara McCoy & Ford P.A.
http://www.wickersmith.com
 
Headquarters
Regions Bank Building, Suite 800
2800 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
Miami, FL 33134
(305) 448.3939
14 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

Arizona

Arizona

Phoenix, AZ

One North Central Avenue, Suite 885

Phoenix, AZ 85004

United States

(602) 648.2240

Get Directions

Florida

Florida

Coral Gables, FL

2800 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Suite 800

Coral Gables, FL 33134

United States

(305) 448.3939

Get Directions

Fort Lauderdale, FL

SunTrust Center, Suite 1400

515 East Las Olas Boulevard

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

United States

(954) 847.4800

Get Directions

Jacksonville, FL

Bank of America Building, Suite 2700

50 North Laura Street

Jacksonville, FL 32202

United States

(904) 355.0225

Get Directions

Melbourne, FL

Imperial Plaza Building, Suite 304

6767 North Wickham Road

Melbourne, FL 32940

United States

(321) 610.5800

Get Directions

Naples, FL

The Mercato, Suite 10200

9128 Strada Place

Naples, FL 34108

United States

(239) 552.5300

Get Directions

Orlando, FL

Bank of America Center, Suite 1000

390 North Orange Avenue

Orlando, FL 32801

United States

(407) 843.3939

Get Directions

Pensacola, FL

700 South Palafox Street, Suite 135

Pensacola, FL 32502

United States

(850) 316.4490

Get Directions

Sarasota, FL

1819 Main Street, Suite 910

Sarasota, FL 34236

United States

(941) 366.4200

Get Directions

Tampa, FL

100 North Tampa Street, Suite 1800

Tampa, FL 33602

United States

(813) 222.3939

Get Directions

West Palm Beach, FL

Northbridge Centre, Suite 1600

515 North Flagler Street

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

United States

(561) 689.3800

Get Directions

Georgia

Georgia

Brunswick, GA

SunTrust Building

700 Gloucester Street, Suite 301

Brunswick, GA 31520

United States

(912) 266.8620

Get Directions

Tennessee

Tennessee

Nashville, TN

Vertis Green Hills

3990 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 300

Nashville, TN 37215

United States

(615) 369.3300

Get Directions

News & Media

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