Founding and Managing Partner
Founding and managing partner of Donnelly & Associates, P.C., Mr. John “Jack” Donnelly is one of the leading experts on Bad Faith and Extra Contractual Litigation in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Donnelly lectures and writes frequently on issues affecting the insurance industry.
Since founding Donnelly & Associates on August 1, 1999, Mr. Donnelly has defended a vast number of bad faith, extra-contractual, automobile, uninsured and underinsured motorist claims. He has defended Toxic Tort and Chemical Exposure claims (including mass asbestos claims).
Prior to founding Donnelly & Associates, P.C., Mr. Donnelly was in-house counsel for the CNA Insurance Companies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1989 to 1996. Mr. Donnelly is a veteran of over 107 jury and non-jury trials. He has also litigated hundreds of arbitrations, including underinsured and uninsured motorist hearings.
Over the last five (5) years, Mr. Donnelly has ushered three (3) separate insurance carriers through the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance to achieve approval of their new insurance policy filings. His experience also includes assisting the carriers with amendatory filings with the Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner as well.
Prior to law school, Mr. Donnelly was a Group Life and Health underwriter for the Prudential Insurance Companies.
Outside of his legal pursuits, Jack embraces an active lifestyle. Over the years, he has completed over 35 triathlons, including the rigorous Oxford Triathlon, which consisted of a 2.4-mile swim, 20-mile run, and 50-mile bike ride. Proudly, Jack was first place in the 2010 Stone Harbor Triathlon Clydesdale Division (athletes over 200 lbs). He also placed 5th in the Solitare Stetser Memorial Swim, which was a seven (7) mile swim from Atlantic City to Margate, New Jersey. Jack continues to train daily either swimming, biking or running . . . or walking his Golden Retriever, “Ruffer.”
Jack was a lifeguard for the Ocean City Beach Patrol from 1981 until 1988 and in 1996. He is a proud member of the Ocean City Beach Patrol Alumni Association. While in law school, he assisted with the negotiation of a new labor agreement between the Ocean City Beach Patrol Association and the City of Ocean City, New Jersey.
Beyond his athletic endeavors, Jack remains committed to giving back to the community. During his time in law school, he served as a coach for the Springfield Township High School girls' swim team and the St. Genevieve Grade School boys’ baseball team. While coaching, Jack fostered a love for sports, hard work and team work.
Mr. Donnelly was personally responsible for all of his college and graduate school tuition and costs. He ran a Christmas tree business and worked as a trash man for Springfield Township to finance his college tuition.
Jack’s favorite charity is St. Joseph’s Villa in Flourtown, Pennsylvania.
Jack attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. In 1983, he graduated with honors in Economics from the Temple University School of Business. In 1988, he received his Juris Doctor from the Temple University School of Law. While at Temple Law School, Jack received a grant to study at the University of Ireland School of Law in Cork.
Education
Admissions
APPELLATE VICTORIES:
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES:
- Doherty v. Allstate Indem. Co., 139 S. Ct. 594 (2018)
SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA:
- Cramer v. Allstate Ins. Co., 20 A.3d 1188 (Pa. 2011)
- PA Integrated Risk Mgmt. Ass'n v. Sauers, J-A22022-19 (Pa. Super. Ct. Oct. 15, 2019)
- Ford v. Red Robin Int'l, Inc. (In re Restaurant), No. J-A23033-15 (Pa. Super. Ct. Sep. 1, 2015)
SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY:
- Riccio v. Allstate N.J. Ins. Co., No. A-4628-13T2 (App. Div. Oct. 22, 2015)
SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA:
- Fleming v. CNA Insurance, 597 A.2d 1026 (Pa. Super 1991)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA:
- Meridian Mutual Insurance Company (Little Souls) v. Continental Business Center, Civil Action No. 04-1639 (E.D. Pa. Apr. 13, 2005).
PUBLICATIONS:
SEMINARS:
- Defense of Liquor Liability Claims, November 11, 2020
- Homeowners Seminar, Avoiding Bad Faith, May 26, 2016
- Homeowners Bad Faith Seminar, The Basics of Bad Faith, November 12, 2015
- Avoiding Bad Faith in Pennsylvania, November 13, 2014
- Automobile Basics and Bad Faith, Atlanta, GA, January 23, 2013
- Homeowners Bad Faith Seminar, The Basics of Bad Faith in PA and NJ, September 26, 2013
- Bad Faith Prevention Seminar, Chicago, IL, May 17, 2012
- Bad Faith Seminar, Tips and Tactics to Avoid Bad Faith, October 10, 2012
- Bad Faith and Claims Handling, Cincinnati, OH, December 15, 2011
- Bad Faith and Claims Handling, Woodridge, IL, June 14, 2011
- Contractual Interpretation and the Law, June 7, 2011
- Surviving a Bad Faith Deposition, May 19, 2011
- Automobile Bad Faith in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, December 10, 2010
- Construction Litigation – Defense, Indemnification and Additional Insureds, November 18, 2010
- Bad Faith and Other Extra-Contractual Issues, November 12, 2010
- Attorney Client Privilege/Work Product, PA vs. NJ, September 22, 2010
- The Faces of Bad Faith, September 22, 2010
- World Series of Bad Faith, August 11, 2020
- Donnelly & Associates, P.C., Annual Bad Faith Seminar, , Conshohocken, PA, June 25, 2010
- Homeowners Bad Faith Seminar, Conshohocken, PA, April 30, 2010
- Defense, Indemnification and Extra-Contractual Issues, April 10, 2010
- Contractual Shifting of Indemnification Obligations, Berkley Mid-Atlantic, April 9, 2010
- Donnelly and Associates, P.C., Annual Bad Faith Seminar, November 20, 2009
- Bad Faith and the Public Adjuster, October 28, 2009
- Automobile Bad Faith Seminar, September 29, 2009
- Automobile Bad Faith Avoidance, September 23, 2009
- Discovery Seminar, September 17, 2009
- Bad Faith Seminar, June 25, 2009
- Bad Faith Seminar, Branchville, NJ, June 22, 2007
- Additional Insured Seminar, May 16, 2007
- Bad Faith Seminar, May 3, 2007
- Auto Law and Bad Faith, July 14, 2005
- Auto Law Update, Limited Tort Option, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, December 8, 2000
Our Team:
Krista Sheets
Associate
John D. Lemonick
Associate
Joseph V. Pinto
Associate