Mr. John William Carroll, Private Law Practice

John J. Carroll, Jr., a trial lawyer since 1974, finds particular satisfaction in the earlier stages of the litigation process --- doing what it takes to get cases ready for their eventual resolution in court or through negotiation. He compares himself to the "push man" in basketball and relishes the people contact involved in his work.

"I'm a people person," he says, "and my job lets me have lots of day-to-day contact with clients, opposing counsel and court personnel. That's what I enjoy the most."

Carroll works hard to address the special needs of his clients. He knows that representing accident victims can take patience and compassion as well as forensic skills. He also has an acute understanding of the practical aspects of handling personal injury claims, having seen them from many vantage points. In the 1970's, Carroll spent two years as an in-house lawyer for an insurance company, followed by several years as a defense attorney at a large litigation firm. It is there that he met his future Meehan, Boyle, Black & Bogdanow colleagues.

Carroll also has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution. He has been a panel member of the American Arbitration Association for many years and is familiar with virtually all of the alternative dispute resolution processes which a personal injury client may encounter. He has sharpened his negotiation skills not only through years of practice and observation but also through formal and informal study.

For Carroll, being a lawyer has always been synonymous with helping people. In his early years as a lawyer, he traveled to South Dakota where he was a staff attorney on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian Reservations. He describes working amidst great poverty as "a life-altering experience."

Carroll's commitment to serving those who cannot afford lawyers has continued throughout his career. He handles pro bono cases for the Boston Bar Association's Volunteer Lawyers Project and has volunteered at the Catholic Lawyer's Guild's St. Francis House. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Greater Boston Legal Services. His interest in promoting "access to justice" is also reflected in his work on the Massachusetts Bar Association's Judicial Administration Section Council, which he chaired in 1997-1998, and Individual Rights and Responsibilities Section Council which he chaired in 1998-1999. In January 2001 Carroll began an additional duty as a Hearing Officer at the Board of Bar Overseers. In 2002, he was elected to the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys Board of Governors, in 2003; he was elected to serve as a member of the House of Delegates of the Massachusetts Bar Association, and continues to serve in that position. In 2006, he was appointed to the executive committee of the MBA.

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