Support, Guidance And Advocacy On Your Toughest Days
Peter M. O’Mara
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Practice Areas:
- Criminal Defense
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Law - Federal (White Collar Crime)
- DUI/DWI
- Drug Violations
- Traffic Violations
- Drugs
- Sex Crimes
- Municipal Court
- Expungements
- Sexual Harassment
Biography
Peter O'Mara performed his undergraduate studies at Villanova University, receiving degrees in Political Science and Sociology upon graduation in May of 1989. Following graduation from Villanova, Mr. O'Mara entered the Dickinson School of Law, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in May 1992. While attending the Dickinson School of Law, Mr. O'Mara was President of the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, and Senior Representative to the Student Bar Association. During the summer of 1991, Mr. O'Mara completed the International Law Program conducted at the University of Vienna School of Law, Vienna, Austria, and the Strasbourg School of Law, Strasbourg, France.
During his formal legal training, Mr. O'Mara completed internships at the Staten Island District Attorney's Office, In Staten Island, New York as well as the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he was Certified by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to prosecute criminal matters while a third-year law student. Mr. O'Mara also clerked for the Law Firm of Lee, File & Amtzis, Staten Island, New York; as well as Hall & Hall, in Staten Island, New York.
From 1992 to 1993, Mr. O'Mara worked for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Freehold, New Jersey, where he handled Appellate and Municipal Court Appeals, Criminal Motions and Bench Trials. From 1993 to 1995, Mr. O'Mara was Trial Attorney for the Law Firm of Francis X. Moore, Red Bank, New Jersey, handling Superior and Municipal Court Criminal cases, Motions and Appeals.
In 1995, The Law Office of Peter M. O'Mara was opened in Red Bank, New Jersey. Since 1995, Mr. O'Mara has directed his own practice, which has remained solely dedicated to the trial and resolution of Criminal Superior and Municipal Court Offenses.
In 1995 Mr. O'Mara completed advanced studies in DWI defense trial advocacy conducted at Harvard Law School by the National College for DUI Defense. Mr. O'Mara was inducted as a Founding Member of the National College for DUI Defense .
In September, 1997, Mr. O'Mara presented testimony before the New Jersey State Senate Subcommittee on Driving While Intoxicated Laws. This testimony included the current status of DWI laws, Court Rules, and the shortcomings of the use of the Breathalyzer in DWI prosecutions .
In 1997, Mr. O'Mara was nominated for the New Jersey State Bar Association's "Young Lawyer of the Year" award.
Mr. O'Mara has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Monmouth County Bar Association in 1996, 1997, 1998, and from 2000 through 2003.
In 1995, Mr. O'Mara was appointed as Legal Defense Committee Chairman for the Surfer's Environmental Alliance, serving as Director of a pro bono litigation team promoting New Jersey beach access, environmental health, and ocean safety.
Mr. O'Mara has been the Interscholastic Mock Trial Team Coach for Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) from November, 1995 to Present.
In 2004, Mr. O'Mara merged his practice with the long-established firm, Shebell & Shebell, in Ocean Township, New Jersey. Mr. O'Mara was a partner, and director of the Criminal and Municipal Court Practice Section, where he continued his focus is on the defense of those accused of DWI , Criminal , and Narcotics Offenses .
In 2005 through 2012 the New Jersey Monthly Magazine named Mr. O'Mara one of New Jersey’s Super Lawyers. Mr. O'Mara was thereby recognized as one of the top DWI and Criminal Defense Practitioners in the state of New Jersey.
In 2005, Mr. O'Mara was appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to the Monmouth County District Ethics Committee.
In 2006, Mr. O'Mara returned to solo practice, opening The O'Mara Law Firm in Little Silver, New Jersey. This firm continues to specialize in the defense of those accused of Criminal, DWI, and Narcotics Offenses.
Education
- The Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
- J.D. - 05/1992
- Honors: President, Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity
- Honors: Senior Representative to the Student Bar Association
- Villanova University
- B.A. - 05/1989
- Major: Political Science
- Minor: Sociology
- University of Vienna School of Law, Vienna
- Strasbourg School of Law, Strasbourg
- 1991
Bar Admission
- New Jersey, 1993
Honors
- National Trial Lawyer's Association ? Named Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- New Jersey State Bar Association's Young Lawyer of the Year Award
- Interscholastic Mock Trial Team Coach for Christian Brothers Academy (CBA)
- Selected for Inclusion in the Super Lawyers Honoree List
Classes & Seminars
- "Defending Alcotest 7110 DWI Cases", New Jersey Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- "Defending DWI Cases in New Jersey", Lorman Education Services, 2005 to 2005
- "Junk Science-Challenging the use of Breathalyzer and Blood Tests at Trial", New Jersey Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Seminar, 2001 to 2001
- "Junk Science and Handling Expert Testimony in Criminal Cases", New Jersey Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, East Brunswick, New Jersey, 2000 to 2000
- "Strategies in Handling New Jersey DWI Cases", Lorman Education Services
- Lecturer, Handling DWI Cases, 1999 to 2001
- Lecturer, Handling DWI Cases, 2005 to 2005
- "Defending DWI", New Jersey Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Seminar, 1996 to 1997
- "Driving While Intoxicated Laws", Brookdale Community College, Law-Related Education Conference, 1994 to 1997
- "Driving While Intoxicated", Monmouth Bar Association, Court Night, 1996 to 1996
- Rude Awakening Program, Monmouth County High Schools in conjunction with several local Police Departments, 2005 to 2010
Representative Cases
- State v. Califano
- State v. Jorn
- State v. Oliveri
- Louise Murray v. Board of Elections
- Sperlinq v. Teplitzkv
- State v. Schmidt
- State v. Duffy
Ancillary Businesses
- Certified Alcotest 7110 Operator - Received certification and training from Draeger, the manufacturer of the breath testing device currently used in New Jersey
- Trial and Appellate Attorney - in six published Appellate Division decisions
Professional Associations
- Monmouth Bar Association, Member
- New Jersey State Bar Association, Member
- American Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- New Jersey Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
- American Inns of Court Foundation, Member
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
- National College for D.U.I. Defense, Member
- New Jersey State Bar Association-Criminal Law Section, Member
- National College for DUI Defense, Founding Member
- Monmouth County Bar Association, Board of Trustees, 1996 to 1998
- Monmouth County Bar Association, Board of Trustees, 2000 to 2003
- Surfer's Environmental Alliance, Legal Defense Committee, Chairman
- Supreme Court of New Jersey District IX Ethics Committee
- New Jersey State Law Enforcement Organization
Current Employment Position
- Principal and Criminal Defense Attorney
Past Positions
- Staten Island District Attorney's Office, Intern, 1988 to 1989
- Law Firm of Lee, File & Amtzis, Staten Island, New York, Clerk
- Hall & Hall, in Staten Island, New York, Clerk
- The Law Office of John G. Hall, Intern, 1991
- Dauphin County District Attorney's Office, Intern (Certified by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to prosecute criminal matters ), 1991 to 1992
- Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Legal Assistant, Appellate Section, 1992 to 1993
- Francis X Moore P.A., Trial Attorney, 1993 to 1995
- The Law Office of Peter M O'Mara, Principal, 1995 to 2004
- Shebell & Shebell, L.L.C., Partner, 2004
- The O'Mara Law Firm, Principal, 2006 to 2012
