Since joining the firm in 2017, Mary has successfully defended numerous discrimination claims brought in federal court as well as before administrative agencies under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. She also represents management in employment-related litigation in state court concerning claims of retaliation, harassment, and age discrimination. She strives to minimize exposure and efficiently dispose of cases for clients. Just this past year she worked on three federal matters that were dismissed before the client had to spend resources on significant discovery.
In addition to litigating cases, Ms. O’Neill is responsible for client services in the Birmingham office, producing training videos and other content, developing written materials and representing the firm at numerous events and conferences including the Alabama Society for Human Resource Management and the National Association of College & University Attorneys.
A New York native, Ms. O’Neill began practicing law in Los Angeles working with O’Melveny & Myers. In Los Angeles, she worked as an adjunct professor for Legal Writing & Research at Whittier School of Law, served on the Board of Directors of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles and volunteered as a Mediator for the Los Angeles Superior Court and California Lawyers for the Arts. She worked of counsel for national and local firms in Los Angeles before moving to Alabama in 2011, where she passed the bar in 2013.
In Alabama, Ms. O’Neill volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Jefferson County CASA, and was named CASA of the year in 2015 by Alabama CASA for her work on behalf of a teenager in foster care. She also works with the Alabama Lawyers Assistance Program, which is part of the Alabama State Bar, and helps judges and lawyers overcome addiction and mental health issues. An active member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, she serves in many capacities with the Episcopal Youth Conference and is a member of Alabama Diocese’s Steering Committee for “Happening,” a retreat for high school students. As a result of her close connections to the film business, for the past two years she has been a juror for the Fairhope Film Festival in Fairhope, Alabama. She is a member of the Kiwanis Club, Downtown Birmingham, the largest Kiwanis Club in the world.
