John J. O'Gara Jr.
O'Gara & Gomric P.C. 6 East Washington Belleville, IL 62220 Practice Area(s): Criminal Defense call (618) 234-2788 fax (618) 234-0670 email ogara@compu-type.net visit website
Biographical Information
John J. O’Gara, Jr. earned his B.A. (high honors) at Quincy College in 1983 and his J.D. at St.
Louis University in 1987. He is admitted to practice in Illinois (1987), the U.S. District Court
Central District of Illinois (1988), the U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois (1994), the
U.S. Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit (1995), the U.S. Supreme Court (1999), the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri(2012).
Mr. O’Gara is the Founder of O’Gara and Gomric, P.C. in Belleville, Illinois. Prior to this, he
served as an Assistant Public Defender (1987-1989) and Public Defender (1989-1991) in Knox
County, and Assistant Public Defender in St. Clair County (1991-1994). In addition to his
current role at O’Gara and Gomric, P.C., Mr. O’Gara also serves as Chief Public Defender for St.
Clair County, and as the C.J.A. panel representative for the U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois.
Mr. O’Gara frequently lectures for a variety of legal associations and has received several
awards and honorary mentions, including the Charles M. Shaw Award for Excellence in Trial
Advocacy, Illinois Super Lawyers, Illinois Leading Lawyers-Advisory Board Member, Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers 2009-2015, Chicago Magazine Top Attorneys in Illinois, “10 Best” in Illinois, American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys.
John is a past President of the IACDL as well as the St. Clair County Bar Association, and he is a current member of the ISBA Criminal Justice Council.