John L. O'Shea - Cincinnati, OH

John is available day and night on 513-300-4012 to protect his clients. Call any time if you need help immediately. He always answers the call.

John practices in all areas of litigation with particular emphasis on criminal defense, including white collar and DUI/OVI (“drunk driving”) defense; and civil litigation involving, business law, serious personal injury and wrongful death claims in both State and Federal Court.

John was just voted the 2025 Cincinnati Criminal Defense “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America and was its 2023 and 2015 Cincinnati Criminal Defense “Lawyer of the Year”. He was also The Best Lawyers in America 2021 and 2018 Cincinnati Criminal Defense: White Collar “Lawyer of the Year”.

John was named to the Super Lawyers Top 50 lawyers in Cincinnati for 2012 through 2025 and the Super Lawyers Top 100 lawyers in Ohio for 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2025. He has been an Ohio Super Lawyer since 2009.

John has a perfect 10.0 rating from AVVO.com. See John’s Avvo.com profile for peer endorsements and client reviews.

John is a designated attorney of the United States Concealed Carry Association’s Critical Response Team, which provides 24 hour insurance backed benefits, including immediate criminal defense representation, for

Before starting private practice in 1994, John was an assistant prosecutor in the Juvenile, Municipal and Common Pleas Court criminal trial divisions of the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office. During that time, John was also appointed by the Ohio Attorney General to serve as a special prosecutor to the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. While in private practice, John was twice appointed as a special prosecutor by the Hamilton County Courts.

Today, John uses his trial experience to effectively defend individuals and businesses in white collar criminal investigations and prosecutions, as well as adults and juveniles charged with misdemeanor and felony criminal offenses of every type, including drug offenses and driving under the influence charges.

John serves as the Mayor’s Court Magistrate for the City of Blue Ash and the Village of Mariemont.

In civil matters, John has successfully advised and represented business clients on various corporate matters, disputes and litigation. He has won significant awards for clients in numerous personal injury and wrongful death cases.

John has defended numerous clients in the following practice areas, but not limited to:

CRIMINAL DEFENSE

• Arrest & Arraignment
• Assault & Battery
• Criminal Appeals
• Criminal Fraud
• Domestic Violence
• Drug & Alcohol Violations
• OVI/DUI – Drunk Driving
• Expungement
• Federal Court
• Felony
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Misdemeanor
• Motor Vehicle Offenses
• Probation
• State Court
• Theft
• Traffic Violations
• White Collar Criminal Law

PERSONAL INJURY/WRONGFUL DEATH

• Animal Bites
• Assault
• Brain Injuries
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Personal Injury
• Trucking Accidents
• Wrongful Death

Call John on 513-300-4012 at any time – day or night – if you need help immediately.

Representative Matters

Personal Injury/Wrongful Death related matters:

• Successful resolution of numerous serious personal injury claims on behalf of plaintiffs.
• Settlement of injuries to a child from dog attack for $5,250,000.
• Resolution of five separate wrongful death claims from automobile accident fatalities resulting in payments totaling over $5,000,000.

Criminal Trial Practice – Self-defense related matters:

• Represented an individual, who with a co-defendant, was indicted for Felonious Assault for causing serious physical harm to another. Argued self-defense at trial. Not guilty verdict.
• Represented an individual indicted for Felonious Assault with a firearms specification for shooting another four times. Charge carried a mandatory minimum five year prison term if convicted. Proved self-defense at trial. Not guilty verdict.
• Represented an individual indicted for Felonious Assault for assaulting another with brass knuckles. Proved self-defense at trial. Not guilty verdict.
• Called at 5:22 a.m. by the mother of two young men in police custody accused of an early morning homicide. Immediately responded to the police department. Coordinated both boys’ defense, which included securing co-counsel. Spent the day negotiating with the police, who ultimately charged both boys with Murder. Within minutes of that charging decision, reached an agreement with the prosecutor for bail and both boys were released less than two hours after being charged. The case was investigated and negotiations with the prosecutor continued, which included presenting evidence of self-defense. The Grand Jury then dismissed all charges, exonerating both boys.
• At 3:45 a.m., John was called by the USCCA Critical Response Team to protect a USCCA member in police custody after being involved in a shooting. The USCCA member had defended himself by returning fire and shooting the assailant. The USCCA member was unharmed. John immediately responded to the police department where his new client was being held for questioning. John protected his client through the investigation. His client’s attacker was charged with Felonious Assault. John’s client was released without being charged. All defense costs were paid by the USCCA.
• Defended a USCCA member indicted for Murder, Attempted Murder and Felonious Assault for shooting and killing one and shooting at another. A conviction meant mandatory life in prison. John argued self-defense at trial, after which his client was found Not Guilty of all charges. All defense costs were paid by the USCCA.

Human Trafficking related matters:

• Represented individual indicted after a joint State and Federal Department of Homeland Security investigation for nineteen felonies including eight counts of Human trafficking and Indentured servitude. A conviction as charged carried a maximum prison term of 154 years. Negotiated a pretrial plea agreement to one misdemeanor with no jail time or fine and an agreement to expunge all case records when eligible.

Post-Conviction related matters:

• Represented individual convicted in 2009 of Felonious assault. Successfully negotiated agreement where, on December 27, 2024, the original felony conviction was set aside, disposition amended to a misdemeanor and all case records expunged, meaning destroyed and permanently unavailable thereafter.

Employee Theft related matters:

• Represented an employee investigated by law enforcement for embezzlement of $274,935 from employer. Negotiated resolution without criminal charges being filed.
• Represented a Treasurer charged with embezzlement of $175,000 from a children’s athletic organization. Negotiated Plea Agreement with no incarceration.
• Represented an employee indicted for embezzlement of $62,728 from employer. Negotiated deferred prosecution agreement where charge was dismissed and all case records sealed.
• Represented an individual in a Federal Court prosecution for embezzlement from a public school fund. Negotiated Plea Agreement with no incarceration.

Federal Court related matters:

• Represented a Plant Manager of a manufacturing corporation in a Federal Court prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency for a violation of the Clean Air Act in the State of Indiana. Negotiated plea agreement with no incarceration.
• Represented a corporation investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service before a Federal Grand Jury for alleged fraud in the administration of an employee benefits program. Investigation was closed without Indictment.
• Represented a corporation investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice in the Commonwealth of Kentucky before a Federal Grand Jury for alleged improper pharmaceutical accounting procedures. Investigation was closed without Indictment.
• Successfully represented a corporation in its Federal Court civil prosecution of organized interstate and international trademark counterfeiting.
• Represented a corporation investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, before a federal grand jury for alleged price fixing. Investigation was closed without indictment.

State Court related matters:

• Represented a Pharmacist indicted for four felony counts of Theft of Drugs. Prior to trial, negotiated complete dismissal of Indictment and sealing of all case records.
• Represented individual indicted for two felony counts of Obstructing Justice for allegedly harboring her ex-husband who was a fugitive from justice. Negotiated complete dismissal of Indictment and sealing of all case records.
• Represented a student in a State Court Felony Indictment for Aggravated Arson for setting fires on a college campus. Negotiated Plea Agreement with no incarceration.
• Represented an individual indicted with three co-defendants for Aggravated Burglary with firearm specifications. Negotiated plea agreement with no incarceration. Co-defendants entered guilty pleas. Two were sentenced to four years in prison and one was sentenced to six years in prison.
• Represented an individual indicted for Felony Theft of $80,000 from an elderly person. Negotiated deferred prosecution agreement where charge was dismissed and all case records sealed.
• Successfully protected an individual in Probate Court litigation over her rights to proceeds from four (4) multi-million dollar trusts.
• Represented an individual in a State Court prosecution under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for alleged illegal gambling activities. Negotiated Plea Agreement with no incarceration.
• Represented individual charged with conspiracy to defraud a bank of over $600,000. Negotiated pretrial diversion, after which charge was dismissed and all case records sealed.

Trial and Appellate related matters:

• Represented a medical practice office manager on a 29 count state court felony indictment, which included allegations of theft of drugs, embezzlement, and forgery. Not guilty jury verdict on all 29 counts.
• Represented a public employee in a State Court Felony Indictment for Theft in Office for alleged embezzlement from a public school fund. Not guilty jury verdict.
• Represented a semi-tractor trailer driver charged with Vehicular Homicide and Vehicular Manslaughter. Not guilty verdict.
• Represented an individual in appeal of conviction for Driving Under the Influence. Conviction reversed unanimously by the Ohio First District Court of Appeals and case dismissed.
• Represented an individual charged with Driving Under the Influence in Trial Court and Court of Appeals. Trial Court dismissed all charges on pretrial motions. Government appealed dismissal and Ohio First District Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed Trial Court and dismissed case.
• Represented an individual in appeal of conviction for Driving Under the Influence. Conviction reversed unanimously by the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals and case dismissed.
• Represented individual charged with Driving Under the Influence after causing an early morning three car accident. Successfully argued to have the pretrial license suspension immediately terminated. Not guilty verdict after trial and all case records sealed.
• Represented individual indicted for Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Having Weapons While Under Disability, and Improper Transport of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle after a traffic stop during which two firearms were recovered by law enforcement from vehicle. Not guilty verdict after trial and all case records sealed.
• Represented individual charged with Driving Under the Influence, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Felony Aggravated Possession of a Fentanyl Related Compound after causing a head on auto collision. Negotiated complete dismissal and sealing of all records of both drug charges. Negotiated reduction of the Driving Under the Influence charge to Reckless Operation.
• Represented individual charged with Child Endangering after leaving her two young children home alone. Not guilty verdict after trial and case records sealed.
• Represented young woman indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter, Corrupting Another with Drugs and Tampering with Evidence, in which client was accused of being responsible for the Fentanyl overdose death of a man. Conviction as charged carried up to 22 years in prison and a mandatory minimum 8 years in prison. Negotiated a plea agreement to Tampering with Evidence and Drug Abuse with probation and drug treatment. Plea included agreement that case records will be sealed. Manslaughter and Corrupting charges were dismissed. Plea stipulated no responsibility for or involvement in the overdose death.

Immigration Law related matters:

• Successfully represented an individual in a Petition for Writ of Coram Nobis in Federal Court to set aside a 1998 criminal conviction for Bank Embezzlement. Thirteen year old criminal conviction set aside and case dismissed.