About John Peter
John Peter McKenna trained as a courtroom lawyer. He earned his J.D. from New England Law | Boston in 1995 after studying business administration at Assumption College. Those formal years set the technical groundwork for a career that has moved between public service, education and private practice.
He began in the insurance sector. In 1989 he worked as a claims representative for Travelers Insurance Company. That early exposure to claims handling and insurance dispute resolution informed his later approach to litigation. He then entered public law, taking a position as an assistant district lawyer in the Hampden County District Lawyer’s Office in 1995, the same year he completed law school.
In 1996 he took time in the academic sphere. He served as an adjunct professor of law at Anna Maria College, teaching courses that drew on his recent courtroom work. In 2000 he moved to Washington, serving as congressional counsel in the offices of Representative Richard Neal. That role involved legislative and policy work and offered a different view of how law and public policy intersect.
He returned to private practice and in 2004 founded The Law Office of John P. McKenna, P.C. He has described himself as a trial lawyer and has built the firm around courtroom advocacy. Over the years the office has handled a range of matters that require preparation for trial, evidentiary work and advocacy before judges and juries. His background in claims handling and public prosecution has given him experience on both sides of many disputes.
Colleagues and clients often note that McKenna brings practical courtroom experience to case preparation. He focuses on the mechanics of trial work: witness preparation, evidence presentation and durable trial strategy. He has practiced in Massachusetts courts throughout his career and maintains his practice in that jurisdiction.
Outside the courtroom he has blended practice and teaching. His stint as an adjunct professor and his time in a congressional office suggest an interest in both legal education and the broader legal framework that shapes litigation. He continues to accept matters that require trial readiness and courtroom representation.
McKenna currently leads The Law Office of John P. McKenna, P.C., and handles trial litigation in Massachusetts courts.
