John J. Kennedy, Jr., is the founding partner of Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, L.L.C. In 1988, John formed Kennedy & Johnson, along with David Johnson. John is an accomplished trial attorney, spending most of his more than 42 years practicing in Connecticut, representing injured clients before juries.
After more than four decades practicing law, John still finds trying cases to juries in automobile accident, premises liability, medical malpractice and product liability cases his passion. In addition to handling complex jury trials, John has decades of experience handling cases before trial, mediating and arbitrating matters and negotiating claims on behalf of his clients. He is often selected as a mediator and arbitrator in medical malpractice and other personal injury cases.
John was honored to be one of just 500 lawyers in the United States inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. John is also an active member of the New Haven County Bar Association and served as president of that organization in 1991-1992. John participates in the American Association for Justice and the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, and served as president in 2011-2012. He is also a member of ABOTA and a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
John believes in the importance of a lawyer's knowledge of the law in effective representation of clients. Therefore, John has often served as a lecturer to his peers at continuing legal education programs through the Connecticut Bar Association, the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association and the New Haven County Bar Association.
John is admitted to practice at the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut and for the Eastern, Southern and Northern districts of New York, as well as all state courts in Connecticut. He has served since 2011 as co-chair of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association.
John is listed in Best Lawyers in America in the areas of medical malpractice, personal injury and product liability. In 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021, John was named Best Lawyers' New Haven Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year. In 2016 and 2018, John was named Best Lawyers' New Haven Personal Injury Litigation Lawyer of the Year. John has been recognized for many years in Connecticut Super Lawyers' and has been on their Top 10 List for past several years. In 2018 John was honored to be given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association.
A native of Connecticut, John lives in Cheshire with his wife of 45 years, Sandy. John travels between trials when he can. He also enjoys cooking, reading a good novel and spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Classes & Seminars
• Lecturer, Continuing Legal Education Program, Connecticut Bar Association
• Lecturer, Continuing Legal Education Program, Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
• Lecturer, Continuing Legal Education Program, New Haven County Bar Association
• November 2016 Strategies for a Successful Mediation
• December 2016 Med Mal Trial Demonstration: Mastering Your Skills in ANY Case
• June 2017 Accentuating Your Damages (webinar)
• Dec 2017 Are you Ready to Arbitrate? How to get the Best Results
• March 2018 Arguing Damages
• December 2018 SELECTION, CARE & FEEDING OF EXPERT WITNESSES
• September 2019. Jury Trial or Not? – Thinking Outside the Box
• September 2019 Pre-existing, dormant and subsequent injuries to the same body part
• December 2019 Making the Jury Feel the Pain: Maximizing Damages
• June 2019 Moderator: Effective Strategies in ADR (Annual Meeting)
Honors
• Named Best Lawyers’ 2021 New Haven Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year
• Named Super Lawyers’ 2020, Connecticut Top 10, Top 50 New England
• Named Best Lawyers’ 2019 New Haven Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year
• Named Super Lawyers’ 2019, Top 100 New England
• Named Super Lawyers’ 2019, Connecticut Top 10
• Named Best Lawyers' 2018 New Haven Personal Injury Litigation Lawyer of the Year
Professional Associations
• Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, President 2011-2012
• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 2010-Present
• Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Parliamentarian, 2006 to 2007
• New Haven County Bar Association, President, 1991 to 1992
• New Haven County Bar Association, Member, Present
• American Association for Justice, Member
• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Member
• Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Legal Education Committee, Co-Chair
• International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2012 – present
• Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Continuing Legal Education Committee, Co-Chair
• U.S. District Court eastern District of New York
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims
• U.S. District Court District of Connecticut
• U.S. District Court Northern District of New York
• Connecticut
• U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
