John J. McConnell, Jr.

John James McConnell Jr. (born 1958) is the Chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Early life and education Born in Providence, Rhode Island, McConnell earned an Artium Baccalaureus in 1980 from Brown University and a Juris Doctor in 1983 from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Career From 1983 until 1984, McConnell worked as a law clerk to Rhode Island Supreme Court Associate Justice Donald F. Shea. From 1984 until 1986, McConnell worked as an attorney with Mandell, Goodman, Famiglietti & Schwartz in Providence. From 1986 until 1991, he served as an associate at what now is the law firm Motley Rice. From 1991 until 2011, he was a partner and director of the Environmental practice group at Motley Rice LLC, where he worked with state and local governments, groups, and individuals in cases of personal injury, property damage and economic loss as a result of negligent environmental practices.