John O'Neill is a partner with Capitol Counsel LLC. where he advises clients on a wide array of legislative and public policy issues with a heavy focus on tax, financial services, health care, pension, employee benefit and compensation matters.

Mr. O’Neill served on both the Senate Republican Leadership staff and staff of the Senate Committee on Finance. During his tenure with Senate Republican leadership, he was Policy Director and Counsel in the Office of the Senate Republican Whip Trent Lott. In the Whip Office, Mr. O’Neill assisted in the development and coordination of the Senate Leadership floor strategy with respect to all legislation considered by the United States Senate. Mr. O’Neill supported Senator Lott’s efforts as Senate Republican Whip by providing advice and counsel on policy matters and legislation before the Senate. Mr. O’Neill also worked closely with Senate Committee and Member offices in developing legislative and policy initiatives. He also worked closely with senior White House officials and House Leadership offices.

Prior to his service in the Republican Whip Office, Mr. O’Neill served as Tax Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance under Chairman Charles Grassley. At the Finance Committee, Mr. O’Neill focused most heavily on the tax treatment of financial institutions and products, retirement policy and pension issues, health care policy, education tax and savings initiatives, and compensation and employee benefits. During his time at the Finance Committee, Mr. O’Neill played a central role in several major legislative initiatives that are now law. By way of example, Mr. O’Neill served as the principal staff person and lead negotiator for Chairman Grassley on the Pension Protection Act of 2006 — the most significant reform of our nation’s pension and retirement savings laws in a generation. Mr. O’Neill served in a similar capacity during the conference negotiations on the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004. Mr. O’Neill also worked extensively on the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005, and the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. Mr. O’Neill also spent parts of his career in private law practice, including as a partner in the firm of Venable LLP.

Mr. O’Neill is a frequent speaker and lecturer on public policy issues, and has authored a number of articles in professional and scholarly publications. Mr. O’Neill received a B.A. from Skidmore College in 1994 and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1999. He has also studied through the Tulane Law School summer program in the Netherlands, and participated in a fellowship program in the UK House of Parliament. Mr. O’Neill is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia and Massachusetts.