A graduate of Canisius College, O'Connor earned his law degree from the University of Buffalo School of Law in 1956. He is a past president of both the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association and the New York State School Attorneys. He is also affiliated with the National Panel of Arbitrators, American Arbitration Association and the Defense Research Institute. Previously, he served as an attorney for the Town and Village of Alden from 1966 to 1992, and the Alden Central School District from 1975 to 1992. These groups publish material dealing with their fields of expertise, much of which is not available through commercial publishers.
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The 67,000-member New York State Bar Association is the official statewide organization of lawyers in New York and the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation.