Kathleen Brody O'Meara
Kathy O’Meara is a member of the firm’s litigation group. Her practice focuses on criminal defense, government and internal investigations, and representing professionals, including lawyers, judges, psychologists, and fiduciaries, in licensure, ethics, and related proceedings. Kathy’s practice also includes civil litigation and appeals.
Kathy has experience representing companies and individuals during all stages of criminal and regulatory proceedings, from investigation through post-appeal remedies. While assisting clients with government investigations, Kathy has developed extensive knowledge of Arizona’s public-records laws, other laws governing public entities and officials, and corporate deferred prosecution agreements. Kathy’s work also has a focus on anti-money-laundering regulations. Kathy has particular experience in criminal appeals, other post-conviction proceedings, and special appellate actions, and serves on the District of Arizona Criminal Justice Act appellate panel. In addition to handling complex commercial litigation, Kathy represents individual plaintiffs in personal injury, civil rights, and insurance bad faith litigation.
Before joining Osborn Maledon in 2008, Kathy was a law clerk to Justice Andrew D. Hurwitz of the Arizona Supreme Court. Kathy is a member of the Ethics Committee of the Arizona State Bar. She also serves as the associate web editor for the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section, Criminal Litigation Committee. Kathy is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and currently co-chairs the amicus and rules committee for the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice. She has worked as a recorder for Arizona Town Hall and is a graduate of the Arizona State Bar’s Leadership Institute. Kathy was recognized by Southwest Super Lawyers as a “rising star” in general litigation for 2012-2013. In 2013, Best Lawyers in America identified Kathy as one of the “Best Lawyers” in Phoenix for criminal defense.
Practice Areas
Representative Matters
- Three-week civil jury trial, which ended before verdict in a settlement favorable to the client.
- High-profile settlement for a publicly traded company that was under investigation by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
- Criminal matter involving a politically motivated prosecution, which ended with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office’s disqualification and eventual decision to drop the prosecution.
- Petition for writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court in a criminal matter involving the constitutionality of Arizona’s sexual molestation statutes.
- Investigation by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office of a public-entity client that resulted in no action being taken against the client.
- Post-conviction petition on behalf of a client convicted of murder in which the pre-petition investigation revealed exculpatory evidence withheld by the government.
The Best Lawyers in America®, White-Collar Criminal Defense, 2013
Southwest Super Lawyers, Rising Star, General Litigation, 2012-2013
Professional Activities
American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Criminal Litigation Committee, Associate Web Editor, 2010
Maricopa County Bar Association, Criminal Law Section, Executive Committee, 2010
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member, 2009
Arizona Women's Lawyers Association, Member, 2009
Author, Case Note: Arizona State Democratic Party v. State, 47 Ariz. L. Rev. 1065 (2005)