Background
Koonz, Junior, Joseph H. was born on November 27, 1934 in Cornwall, New York, United States.
Koonz, Junior, Joseph H. was born on November 27, 1934 in Cornwall, New York, United States.
Saint Anselm"s College (Bachelor of Arts, 1956). Georgetown University (Bachelor of Laws, 1959).
Joseph H. Koonz, Jr. is a distinguished trial lawyer who has devoted his career to representing injured individuals in complex personal injury litigation. His legal career spans over six decades, marked by dedication to justice, leadership in the legal community, and excellence in trial advocacy.
He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1959 to 1960, shortly before launching his legal career. In 1960, he was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar, beginning his lifelong commitment to the practice of law.
Mr. Koonz was later admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1968, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in 1975.
He became a partner at the prestigious law firm Koonz, McKenney, Johnson, DePaolis & Lightfoot in Washington, D.C., where he specialized in negligence, medical malpractice, workers’ compensation, automobile torts, and product liability. His practice was marked by a deep commitment to protecting the rights of injured workers and accident victims.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Koonz was involved in numerous precedent-setting appellate cases across the District of Columbia and federal courts, including:
Wilson v. Johns-Manville Sales Corp. (1982), Collins v. Penn Central Transportation Co. (1974), Kelly, Inc. v. Dunnett (1968), Hewitt v. Safeway Stores, Inc. (1968), Collins v. New York Central Station (1963), Slaughter v. Atlantic Coast Railroad Co. (1962), Van Devander v. Heller Electric Co. (1968), Harbin v. District of Columbia (1964), Stancil v. Massey (1970), Quick v. Martin et al. (1968), Washington Hospital Center v. Cheeks (1968), Pistorio v. Einbinder (1965), Roscoe v. Roscoe (1967), Vinson v. Einbinder (1962), Massey v. D.C. Transit System, Inc. (1967), City-Wide Trucking Corp. v. Ford (1962), Ashcraft & Gerel v. Liberty Mutual (1965), Howell v. Einbinder (1965), Bartges v. Woodworth (1971), Evening Star Newspaper Co. v. Kemp (1976), Joyner v. F&B Enterprises, Inc. (1971), Fuller v. Giant Food, Inc. (1962), DiNicola v. George Hyman Construction Co. (1979), Trinidad Rambler v. Schneider (1964), Ceco Corp. v. Maloney (1979), D.C. v. Greater Washington Center Labor Council (1982), Meiggs v. Associated Builders, Inc., WMATA v. D.C. Dept. of Employment Services, Hughes v. D.C. Dept. of Employment Services, Zapata v. Woodward & Lothrop (1962), Brennan v. Jones (1962).
Leadership and Professional Service
Mr. Koonz played a significant role in shaping legal practice in the District of Columbia. He served in key leadership positions in several legal organizations:
President, Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. (1988)
Chairman, Workers’ Compensation Committee, D.C. Bar (1976–present)
Chairman, Litigation Committee, D.C. Bar (1985–1986)
Member, Arbitration Committee, D.C. Bar (since 1983)
Chairman, Workers’ Compensation Committee, Bar Association of D.C. (1966–1967)
Chairman, Prepaid Legal Services Committee, Bar Association of D.C. (1976)
Chairman, Personal Injury, Negligence, and Compensation Committee, Bar Association of D.C. (1977)
Member, Ethics Committee (1975)
Member, Negligence Committee, Bar Association of D.C. (since 1960)
Other Memberships and Honors
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Member, American Bar Association (Tort and Insurance Practice Section)
Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Board of Directors, The Council for Court Excellence (since 1985)
Trial Lawyer of the Year, District of Columbia Trial Lawyers Association (1990)
Guest Lecturer, Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America (1992)
Member, Board of Directors, The Council for Court Excellence, 1985. Trial Lawyer of the Year, District of Columbia Trial Lawyers Association, 1990. Guest Lecturer, Columbus School of Law of the Catholic University of America, 1992.
Member: District of Columbia Bar (Chairman, Workmen"s Compensation Committee, 1976.
Chairman, Litigation Committee, 1985-1986. Member, Arbitration Committee, 1983).
Bar Association of the District of Columbia (Member, Negligence Committee, 1960. Chairman, Workmen"s Compensation Committee, 1966-1967.
Member, Ethics Committee, 1975.
Chairman, Prepaid Legal Services Committee, 1976. Chairman, Personal Injury, Negligence and Compensation Committee, 1977). American Bar Association (Member, Tort and Insurance Practice Section).
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, District of Columbia (President, 1988). Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers.
Military: United States. Marine Corps., 1959-1960.
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers.
Military: United States. Marine Corps., 1959-1960.
