James M. "Jim" O'Brien, age 75, of Montgomery, Illinois, passed away at his home on March 26, 2023.

Survived by his children Timothy, Jessica, and Melissa, sisters Patricia, Mary (John), Elizabeth, and Kathleen. He was an uncle to Karen, Donna (Doug), and Robert, great-uncle to Rick (Annie), Lauren, and Dan (Vicki), great-great-uncle to Ricky, Ingrid, and Veronica.

Preceded in death by his parents James and Selma (nee Sandstrom) and nephew Dan Rosengren.

He grew up Rogers Park (Chicago) and Berwyn and attended St. Mel High School in Chicago. He attended St. Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota, and received his undergraduate degree from DePaul University in 1968. He served in the United States Army during 1969-1971. He received his law degree, magna cum laude, in 1975 from DePaul University College of Law, where he was twice an editor of the DePaul Law Review, 1973-1975.

Mr. O'Brien was the owner of the Law Office of James M. O'Brien, which he established in 1995 and from which he retired at the end of 2012. He was a former shareholder of Pope, Ballard, Shepherd & Fowle in Chicago, where he was a member of that firm's workers' compensation department from 1975 to 1992. He established and was the head of the workers' compensation group at Murphy, Smith & Polk in Chicago, where he was a shareholder from 1992 through 1995. He concentrated his practice in defense representation of employers in workers' compensation, third-party liability, employer liability, and civil litigation. Clients that he personally represented for years included General Motors Corporation, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, Container Corporation of America, Jewel-Osco, Allsteel, Navistar/International Truck & Engine Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors of North America, Raynor Mfg. Co., and many others, including multiple insurers and third-party administrators. He represented both insureds and self-insureds, truck, car, and other manufacturers, retailers, employers with significant union representation, and an additional spectrum of employers.

He was the primary author of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce's Workers' Compensation in Illinois, published in January 1995. That book was referred to as "The authoritative guide to workers' compensation regulations" and "the most complete, authoritative guide on these laws available." Its "practical blueprint" for a successful claims administration program was described as providing "Illinois employers with the first written comprehensive program for an employer's effective internal claims administration." He also was the primary author of Illinois Workers' Compensation –An Employer's Guide, published in 1999 and 2000 for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. These updated, expanded versions of the earlier book were prepared and published in response to the continuing popularity of the first publication. He was co-author of Advanced Workers' Compensation in Illinois, National Business Institute (1994). His past publications also included co-authorship of "Substantive and Procedural Aspects of Illinois Workers' Compensation Act," Illinois Lawyers Manual (1978). He was a frequent lecturer both nationally and locally on "Accident Investigation and Preparation of a Workers' Compensation Case for Trial" and other workers' compensation topics. He spoke before the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Self-Insurers Association, Associated Employers of Illinois, Management Association of Illinois, National Business Institute, Builders' Association of Greater Chicago, Center for Advanced Education and Research. Management Research and Development Group, Decatur Industrial Relations Council, Rockford Personnel Association, Joliet Area Personnel Association, Industrial Association of Quincy, National Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association, Three Rivers Manufacturing Association, and before numerous national, regional, and local meetings and seminars, many of which were videotaped and distributed by employers locally and nationally.

For almost two decades, he was a participant and advisor to management in management-labor negotiations in the Illinois General Assembly on workers' compensation legislation. In 1993 he served as a legislative advisor to Governor Edgar's administration in Illinois on the issue of workers' compensation legislation and reform. For two decades he served on the Illinois Chamber of Commerce's legislative subcommittee on workers' compensation. He was selected to serve as a member of a workers' compensation task force for the construction industry in Illinois. He was the recipient of the Certificate of Excellence and Curriculum Completion from the Teaching Conferences in Clinical Cardiology of the University of Miami School of Medicine.

His memberships included the Illinois State Bar Association (Section on Workers' Compensation Law), the Workers' Compensation Committee of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association, and the Illinois Self-Insurers Association. Mr. O'Brien concluded his legal career in 2012 with his publication of History-1, Cubs-0 – A Perspective of the Chicago Cubs Championship Drought (GM Books, 2012). His book chronicled the Cubs then 105-year championship drought. He conducted well over 100 book signing events throughout the Midwest prior to the Cubs 2016 World Series victory.

Jim enjoyed taking Caribbean cruises during his many vacations. Not only did he sightsee the entire Caribbean, but he enthusiastically enjoyed shopping in the many islands. He also visited Paris, Mexico and throughout Ireland. 

In lieu of flowers, consider donating to The Cubs Charities Community Fund in Jim's name.