News

O’Neill Kellner & Green for $17.65 million today resolved all 26 of the pending child sex abuse cases against the Catholic Diocese of Burlington. In addition, O’Neill Kellner & Green settled the appeals from the verdicts of $3.6 million from December 2008 and $2.2 million from October 2009. The total amount the Diocese paid, including the $17.65 million, exceeds $20 million.

The firm settled the largest verdict against the Diocese, $8.7 million, in February of this year.

In each of the cases settled while the appeals were pending the clients requested that the amounts of the settlement not be made public.

O’Neill Kellner & Green now has resolved 36 child sex abuse cases against the Diocese going back to 2002.

Jerome O’Neill and John Evers, the Plaintiffs attorneys, give great credit to our clients for their courage in coming forward and making their claims. It is hard for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to come forward and confront their accusers. These individuals each took that step. Their willingness to come forward, coupled with juries who understand what they had experienced, is what held the Catholic Diocese accountable.

OKG's Support Provides Scholarships for Youth Sports Programs - Perhaps you’ve seen children wearing colorful t-shirts with "O´Neill Kellner & Green Attorneys" written on the back. Perhaps, your own children have worn them! For more than 10 years, OKG has sponsored the youth basketball and soccer programs of the Burlington Parks & Recreation Department. “OKG´s support is essential to our program and has allowed us to offer scholarships to children who otherwise would not be able to participate in our programs” said Maggie Leugers, the Superintendent of Recreation. “I don’t know what we would do without them.”

OKG Lawyers Represent Victim of Clergy Sexual Abuse; Obtain “Landmark” Verdict - For the past decade, Jerry O’Neill has devoted his practice to representing the victims of childhood sexual abuse. On May 14, 2008 he obtained what the Burlington Free Press described as a “landmark” verdict for a man who had been abused when he was an alter boy. After a two-week trial in which Jerry O’Neill and OKG Attorney John Evers presented evidence that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington knew it was allowing a child molester to privately supervise its altar boys, a Chittenden County jury ordered the Diocese to pay $8.7 million in damages. The Diocese has appealed the verdict. Paralegal Mary Lou Marsh assisted Jerry and John in the trial.

20 Years of Practice and a New Office - In 2007, we celebrated our 20th year as a firm. Many of our current employees have been with us for most of those years.We are proud that our founding partner Geoffrey Crawford is serving the people of Vermont as a Superior Court judge. In June 2008 we moved to our new office at 84 Pine Street in Burlington. If you are an old friend or client, be sure to remember our new location before you come to our office.There often are parking spaces available on Pine Street and the Burlington Town Center garage is only one-half a block away.

OKG Lawyers Hold Leadership Positions with Local Charities - With today’s high energy prices and the economy in turmoil, this promises to be a difficult year for many of our community’s most vulnerable residents. OKG lawyers are active in our community. Jerry O’Neill has been a long-time director of COTS, the Committee on Temporary Shelter. Michael Green is a member of the board of the United Way of Chittenden County.

Perhaps these seminars are popular because they are both informative and entertaining. John is an experienced storyteller. He performs before children and adults throughout Vermont. This photograph shows him weaving a tale before the Vermont Legislature.