+ Education
Stanford Law School, J.D., 2000
Lafayette College, B.A., summa cum laude, Race and Gender Studies & Spanish
+ Clerkships
Hon. Marjorie O. Rendell
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit,
2000-01
+ Awards
The Best Lawyers in America (2023-Present)
Daily Journal, "Top Women Lawyers" in California (2023, 2021)
Profiles in Diversity Journal, "Women Worth Watching in Leadership" (2023)
Silicon Valley Business Journal, “Women of Influence” (2022)
L.A. Times B2B Publishing Business of Law Magazine “Visionary" (2021)
Benchmark Litigation, "Litigation Star" (2021-2024), "Local Litigation Star" (2018 and 2019), "California Litigation Star" (2019, 2020, 2023)
Super Lawyers, "Super Lawyer" (2021-2023)
Benchmark Litigation, Labor and Employment Star, West (2019)
Litigation Counsel of America: The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society, Fellow
+ Speaking Engagements
Panelist, "From Traditional to Transformational: Lead the Way by Unleashing the Power of Authentic Leadership," NAMWOLF 2023 Annual Meeting (September 11, 2023)
Panelist, “The Cost of Inequity,” Los Angeles Business Journal Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Symposium & Awards (March 29, 2023)
Presenter, “Class Representative Depositions and Discovery,” 2022 Bridgeport Class Action Litigation Conference (September 16, 2022)
Co-Chair, 2022 Bridgeport Class Action Litigation Conference (September 16, 2022)
Presenter, “It’s Not Mythical After All: A Case Study of a Class Action Trial,” ACC Mountain West - Nutrition Law Symposium (September 9, 2022)
Presenter, “Pending Appellate Cases You Need to Know About,” ACC Southwest Ohio (June 28, 2022)
Panelist, "CLE Program: Women of Stanford Law (WSL) 50th Anniversary: Alumna Experiences, Insights, and the Legacy of Women at SLS", Stanford Law School (May 14, 2022)
Presenter, CLE for In-House Legal Team, “Automatic Renewal Laws and Why They Matter.”
Panelist, “Heeding the Call for Change: Law Firms & the DEI Front,” Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) Webinar (August 25, 2021)
Speaker, DISCO’s Women’s History Month (WHM) Fireside Chat (March 23, 2021)
Panelist/Moderator, "Gender Issues in the Practice of Law," Bridgeport Continuing Education MCLE Presentation (January 29, 2021)
Co-Presenter, "Notable SCOTUS & 9th Circuit Decisions and Pending Cases Affecting Class Actions," Bridgeport Continuing Education Consumer Class Action Litigation Conference (September 20, 2019)
Co-Chair, Bridgeport Continuing Education 2019 Consumer Class Action Litigation Conference (May 3, 2019)
Co-Presenter, "The Future of Nationwide Classes (including Settlements) after Hyundai Kia," Bridgeport Continuing Education 2019 Consumer Class Action Litigation Conference (January 11, 2019)
Moderator, "Hiring, Firing and Inspiring Outside Counsel," MCCA 2018 Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference (October 2, 2018)
Panelist, "The In-House Counsel's Consumer Class Action Defense Checklist," ACC Washington Chapter 2nd Annual Business Summit (September 13, 2018)
Panelist, "The In-House Counsel's Class Action Defense Checklist," ACC Minnesota Chapter CLE Lunch and Learn (June 7, 2018)
Panelist, "Social Networking: Dos & Don'ts - A Discussion Regarding Business Development, Trending Ethical Considerations, & Privacy Breach Part II," NAMWOLF 2018 Business Meeting (February 26, 2018)
+ Prior Affiliations
Willenken LLP, 2016-19
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, 2001-13
+ Civic Involvement
Board of Trustees of Lafayette College, Associate, 2014-2020; West Coast Advisory Council, Member, 2010-21, Chair, 2016-18
Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, City Lead (SF), 2019-20
+ Admissions
Admitted in California
Federal Courts:
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central, Southern and Eastern Districts of California
+ Professional Affiliations
Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Executive Council (2021-Present); Pathfinder Facilitator (2022-2023); Fellow (2018)
Litigation Counsel of America
Member, Trial Law Institute
Member, Diversity Law Institute
Barrister, Order of Veritas
Advocate, Order of Certus
+ Publications
Author, "Legal Dispute Brewing For Detroit Lions’ Barry Sanders In Image Rights Case,” Forbes (November 25, 2020)
Author, "Harvey Weinstein Victims’ Sexual Abuse Settlement Took Years To Create And Crumbled Within Minutes. What Comes Next?” Forbes (August 14, 2020)
+ Contact
moneill@dtolaw.com
Direct: (415) 630-4101
Connect with me: LinkedIn
Recognized as one of the Top Women Lawyers in California by the Daily Journal, Megan O’Neill is a tenacious, seasoned litigator who has used her creativity to achieve victories for her clients for the past two decades. Megan never lets her drive to win override what is most important: that her clients get the result they want. Clients trust her to analyze cases from all sides and consistently deliver the desired outcome, whether that means winning a dispositive motion, negotiating the optimal settlement, or taking the case all the way to trial.
Megan spent over a decade doing high-stakes litigation at Quinn Emanuel before moving to a boutique and later launching DTO. Megan’s varied experience allows her to handle a wide range of matters for her clients, but she has a specialized focus in the class action arena. She regularly defends Fortune 500 companies in consumer class actions alleging unfair competition, false advertising, and products liability, and frequently speaks on class action topics at legal seminars. In the past few years, she has litigated class actions as lead counsel on behalf of companies such as HP, Unilever, Target, Walgreens, and The Vitamin Shoppe. Megan also has significant experience litigating intellectual property claims, including suits alleging theft of trade secrets and trademark infringement, as well as cases involving breaches of contract and fraud claims.
Among her recent victories, Megan secured several dismissals of class actions at the pleading stage. For example, she represented a major retailer sued in a civil RICO class action in the Northern District of California and obtained dismissal on standing grounds. Megan also obtained a dismissal at the pleading stage of a false advertising class action filed in N.D. Cal. on preemption and statutory construction grounds. She also obtained the voluntary dismissal of a consumer class action after opposing class certification, which was due in large part to the key admissions she obtained at the class representative’s deposition.
Megan previously clerked for the Honorable Marjorie O. Rendell of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Megan is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (comprised of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers) and is actively involved in fostering diversity in the legal profession, currently serving on the Executive Council of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). She also speaks Spanish, which has allowed her to represent clients from Spain and Latin America.
In her spare time, Megan is a hip-hop choreographer and lyrical, hip-hop, and jazz dancer.