Practice areas: Civil Litigation, Workers' Compensation, Insurance Coverage; view more
Licensed in Missouri since: 1997
Education: University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Call today:
816-429-2613
DFO Law, LLC
420 Nichols RoadSte. 200
Kansas City, MO 64112 Visit website
Deborah F. O'Connor is the founder of DFO Law, LLC, based in Kansas City, Missouri. Licensed in both Missouri and Kansas, she brings extensive experience to individuals and businesses navigating the complexities of civil litigation. Her practice is highly focused on workers' compensation and intricate insurance coverage matters. Committed to delivering strategic and reliable advocacy, she provides the tailored, results-driven representation necessary to protect her clients' vital financial interests.
Approaching every legal challenge with a powerful blend of empathy and rigorous attention to detail, Ms. O’Connor understands the immense stress that civil disputes and workplace injuries place on her clients. Offering compassionate guidance to alleviate their burdens, she ensures that the legal process does not burden them. Combining this deep human understanding with a meticulous analytical style, she leaves no stone unturned when building a case, ensuring her clients receive the passionate, unyielding advocacy they deserve.
Ms. O’Connor earned her bachelor’s degree in education with a minor in Spanish from The University of Iowa before obtaining her Juris Doctor, with distinction, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Licensed to practice law in Missouri since 1997, her strong academic foundation and decades of legal experience ensure that clients receive exceptionally knowledgeable, precise and sophisticated representation across both Missouri and Kansas.
A notable leader in her field, Ms. O’Connor is a senior fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America and serves as an adjunct professor at her alma mater. Her extensive practice spans Kansas and Missouri trial courts, appellate courts and workers' compensation divisions. This rare combination of academic insight, elite peer recognition and deep courtroom experience ensures unparalleled advocacy for every client she represents.
Practice areas
Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Workers' Compensation: Employer/Insurance, Insurance CoverageFocus areas
Insurance
- 60% Civil Litigation: Plaintiff
- 30% Workers' Compensation: Employer/Insurance
- 10% Insurance Coverage
First Admitted: 1997, Missouri
Professional Webpage: https://dfolawkc.com/about-our-team/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Missouri, 1997
- Association of Women Lawyers, Kansas City
- Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
- Johnson County Bar Association
- Kansas Women Attorneys Association (KWAA)
- Nebraska 2022
- Kansas, 1998
Educational Background
- University of Iowa, B.A. Education Minor: Spanish, 1987-1991
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Adjunct Professor University of Missouri School of Law, Spring, 2018-present
- Author: "The Last Exposure Rule: What is the Law in Missouri after Johnson v. Denton Construction Co.?" 64 UMKC Law Review 813, 1996; 20 Workers' Compensation Law Review 269, 1998, UMKC Law Review, 1995-1997
- CLE Presentation Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Limited Scope Representation in Missouri and Kansas; June 2014
- Instructor, Civil Jury Instructions Course UMKC School of Law 2018- Present
Honors
- Selected to Super Lawyers: 2026
- Selected to Rising Stars: 2008 - 2009
Office location for Deborah F. O'Connor
420 Nichols Road
Ste. 200
Kansas City, MO 64112
Phone: 816-429-2613
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2026
- Rising Stars: 2008 - 2009