John A. Tarantino
Awarded Practice Areas
Appellate Practice Bet-the-Company Litigation Commercial Litigation Criminal Defense: White-Collar Litigation - Banking and Finance Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Biography
A noted and highly awarded litigator who has successfully argued high-stakes, precedent-setting cases across the country, John Tarantino represents international manufacturers, major chemical companies, railroads, e-commerce businesses, entrepreneurs, sports coaches and managers, and leading real estate developers in sophisticated litigation matters involving complex issues of constitutional law, antitrust, intellectual property, product liability, toxic tort, white-collar crime, and employment law. Passionate about his work and his profession, John lectures frequently on trial techniques and is a leading author of legal books and articles on product liability, discovery, evidence, procedure, medical-legal issues, legal ethics and trial strategy. He has won significant trial victories for Atlantic Richfield Company, the Governor of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Senate, and other entities and individuals in cases ranging from toxic torts to constitutional law to bribery and wire fraud.
Overview
- Boston College Law School, J.D., graduated 1981
- Dartmouth College, graduated 1976
- Massachusetts, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Rhode Island, Rhode Island Bar Association
- National Judicial College - Board of Visitors
- Boston College Law School - Board of Overseers
- Defense Counsel of Rhode Island - President (2003-2004)
- New England Bar Association - President (2003)
- Rhode Island Bar Association - President (1997-1998)
- Rhode Island Bar Foundation - President (2005-present)
- Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- International Society of Barristers - Fellow
- American College of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- Massachusetts, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Rhode Island, Rhode Island Bar Association
- National Judicial College - Board of Visitors
- Boston College Law School - Board of Overseers
- Defense Counsel of Rhode Island - President (2003-2004)
- New England Bar Association - President (2003)
- Rhode Island Bar Association - President (1997-1998)
- Rhode Island Bar Foundation - President (2005-present)
- Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- International Society of Barristers - Fellow
- American College of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- Boston College Law School, J.D., graduated 1981
- Dartmouth College, graduated 1976
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Providence (2025)
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Providence (2024)
- Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, Providence (2024)
- Litigation - Banking and Finance, Providence (2021)
- Bet-the-Company Litigation, Providence (2020)
- Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, Providence (2020)
- Appellate Practice, Providence (2018)
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Providence (2018)
- Bet-the-Company Litigation, Providence (2017)
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Providence (2016)
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Providence (2014)
- Bet-the-Company Litigation, Providence (2013)
- Appellate Practice, Providence (2012)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Appellate Practice
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Mass Tort Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation
- Product Liability Litigation
Special Focus:
- Appellate
- Civil and Criminal
- Civil Litigation
- Class Actions
- Complex Litigation
- Corporate Compliance
- Corporate Governance
- COVID-19
- Defendants
- Environmental
- Environmental Crimes
- Federal
- Government Investigations
- Litigation
- Mass Tort
- Personal Injury
- Pharmaceutical
- Product Liability
- Professional Malpractice
- State
- Toxic Tort
- White-Collar Criminal Defense
Awards:
- Rhode Island Legal Services Equal Access t Justice Award
- Rhode Island Bar Association Award of Merit
- Ralph P. Semenoff Award for Professionalism
- Lawyer of the Year Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly
- Lawyer of the Year Lawyers Weekly USA
- Defense Counsel of Rhode Island Exceptional Performance Citation
- Boston College Law School 75th Anniversary Alumni of the Year Award
News & Media
Publications
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