Kevin E. O’Malley
Managing Partner and Shareholder

(602) 530-8430kevin.omalley@gknet.com

Kevin heads Gallagher & Kennedy’s litigation and public bidding and procurement departments. Keenly attuned to the needs of his wide array of clients, Kevin offers proven skill in developing strategy and implementing solutions that are singularly focused on each client’s often unique and/or specific goals. Over his 43-year career representing public and private companies across a wide range of industries, Kevin’s litigation skills have been honed to a razor’s edge.

Kevin E. O’Malley

Notably, Kevin’s civil litigation experience is extensive and far reaching, both in and out of the courtroom. Kevin has managed many high profile and complex matters, including securities, commercial, environmental, governmental, construction, professional liability, and insurance litigation cases. He offers significant class action and appellate experience. A veteran litigator and talented negotiator with a seemingly natural aptitude for advocacy and unwavering drive to win, Kevin is appreciated for his strategic, tactical, and streamlined arguments and for his ability to transform client positions into compelling and easily understood talking points.

Kevin’s practice is deeply rooted in Arizona. However, he is routinely engaged to advise on, serve as lead counsel for, and manage multi-million dollar cases throughout the United States. Widely known within the local and national legal communities for his depth and breadth of experience and consistent track record of success, Kevin is highly valued by clients and colleagues alike for being attentive and responsive from start to finish in any legal matter. He has successfully represented clients in cases ranging from trade secret and securities fraud claims, to large-scale environmental compliance matters. He has also proven highly effective in litigation involving technology, construction and insurance disputes, government affairs, and other business disputes. Kevin knows, from many years practicing in dispute resolution, when it is in his client’s best interest to litigate aggressively or to optimize a potential settlement.

An active member of the firm’s board of directors, it is no surprise that Kevin has earned many honors over the course of his long career, a sampling of which includes Best Lawyers in America’s “Phoenix Litigation Municipal Lawyer of the Year” in 2013, and ranking among Chambers USA Leading Lawyers for 15 consecutive years, and recognition in Southwest Super Lawyers from 2007 to present. He also has and continues to diligently serve as an active participant in a wide array of professional and charitable organizations.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

  • Representing Grand Canyon University (GCU) before the Ninth Circuit in its quest to affirm its nonprofit status. On November 8, 2024, the three-judge panel found unanimously that the U.S. Department of Education used the wrong legal standard in 2019 when it challenged GCU’s nonprofit status, which also prohibited GCU from marketing itself as a nonprofit.
  • Representing a prominent national law firm in class action federal and state securities litigation.
  • Representing Henry Schein, Inc., one of the country’s largest medical products distributors, in litigation filed by McKesson Corp., a Fortune 25 company. McKesson asserted trade secret and various contract and tort claims based on what McKesson claimed was improper conduct by a salesperson, Carmen Caccavale, who left McKesson to work for Henry Schein. McKesson was represented by the national employment firm Ogletree Deakins. After more than three years of litigation, Gallagher & Kennedy, having prevailed on all of McKesson’s claims, went to trial on a counterclaim for abuse of process on behalf of Henry Schein and Mr. Caccavale. The case was tried to a jury in U.S. District Court in Arizona, resulting in what is believed to be the largest abuse of process verdict in the country — $11 million. See “Jury Awards $11M to Former McKesson Rep,” Phoenix Business Journal May 28, 2009. The case subsequently settled on confidential terms.
  • Representing the State in a challenge to the decision to award a multiyear contract to provide health insurance and related services to all State employees. With annual expenditures of between $400,000,000 and $500,000,000, the health insurance contract represents one of the State’s largest contractual undertakings. Following a multiweek trial, the State fully prevailed in that case.
  • Representing Pima County in both a class action (with eight subclasses) and a mass tort action arising from a waste water system failure in Tucson giving rise to environmental and other related claims. After extensive litigation and motion practice that eviscerated the class claims, the case was settled on a walk-away basis.
  • Representing SSP America, Inc. in a bid protest administrative proceeding and companion state court litigation. SSP was recommended for award of a contract to build-out and operate restaurants and bars in Terminal 4 at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. The projected value of the airport food and beverage contract at issue over a 10-year term is approximately $700 million. Prevailing at every stage of the administrative process, the Phoenix City Council was persuaded to reject the protest and award the contract to SSP. Further, the court was successfully convinced to deny the disappointed bidder’s request for an injunction to prevent the award of the contract, to dismiss the litigation, and to award SSP its attorneys’ fees.
  • Representing a national home builder which had entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with other developers to provide a funding source for offsite improvements, specifically a sewer system, to prepare the parties’ land for residential development. When certain parties to the JDA failed to meet their obligations in the JDA, arbitration ensued and the Arbitrator awarded damages with amounted to a total recovery and award of approximately $3 million.
  • Representing the former Director of the Arizona Department of Transportation in litigation challenging the department’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program relating to highway construction. After lengthy proceedings, the case was dismissed and the dismissal was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
  • Representing the target judicial officer defendant in litigation raising the issue of the applicability and scope of absolute judicial immunity in a multifaceted attack on Maricopa County’s probate court system, prevailing on all claims plus an award of attorneys’ fees.
  • Representing a gaming machine vendor seeking damages for an Indian Tribe’s breach of a lease for gaming equipment placed in the Tribe’s casino. After a multiweek hearing to retired judge Layn Phillips in San Francisco, a seven-figure award was given.
  • Representing the Phoenix area home builders association in drafting and successfully advocating for the passage of legislation concerning construction defect and homeowner association litigation.
  • Representing a software development company in a copyright infringement action arising from the piracy of its computer code. After obtaining a temporary restraining order, the matter was settled with the entry of a permanent injunction.
  • Successfully defending litigation arising from a golf course development involving claims related to the scope and enforceability of a right of first refusal, including partnership issues and the application of the rule against perpetuities. A judgment in favor of the defendants was affirmed on appeal.
  • Representing a diversified regional building supply and property development firm in two distinct matters. The first involved the closure of a land fill and restoration of the leased property.  Following negotiations with the lessor and affected municipal and state agencies, the matter was resolved and the property was made available for development. The second case involved claims against the developer and the design professionals of a building, which experienced settlement and resulting structural defects. Following intensive investigation, the matter was compromised on favorable terms.
  • Representing a national home builder against a claim by approximately 75 residents alleging environmental contamination of a subdivision. Judgment was rendered in favor of the defendant-builder and the case was dismissed.
  • Representing an international, privately-held conglomerate in multiple lawsuits arising out of the acquisition and operations of an Arizona subsidiary. Litigation involved manufacturer/distributor agreement disputes, trademark infringement, other business torts and related insurance coverage issues. Following successful preliminary injunction proceedings, favorable settlements were achieved.
  • Representing the owners of a Riverwalk hotel in San Antonio in litigation against the property’s insurers for remediation following extensive storm damage. A multi-million dollar settlement was achieved during the first week of trial.
  • Representing a public company and its board of directors sued after terminating the founder, president and chief executive officer of the company. The initial state court litigation was dismissed. After a bankruptcy filing, all claims were satisfactorily resolved with the former CEO’s bankruptcy trustee.

ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

  • Arizona Equal Justice Foundation, Board of Directors, 2016
  • Greater Phoenix Leadership, Member, 2015
  • State Bar of Arizona, Past Bar Counsel
  • State Bar of Arizona, Administrative Law Section, Member
  • State Bar of Arizona, Civil Jury Instructions Committee, Past Member
  • Sandra Day O'Connor Inn of Court, Past President
  • Maricopa County Bar Association, Litigation Section Member, Past Board Member

HONORS & AWARDS

  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2025; Commercial Litigation, 2005-2025; Construction Law, 2016-2025; Litigation – Construction, Environmental, Municipal, Securities, 2011-2025
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Phoenix Lawyer of the Year, Litigation: Municipal, 2013, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2025
  • Southwest Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation, 2007-2024
  • Chambers USA®, Litigation: General Commercial, 2003-2024
  • Phoenix Magazine, Top Lawyer, Sports Law, 2024
  • Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star - Arizona, General Commercial, 2011-2025
  • Arizona Business Leaders Magazine, AzBusiness Leaders - Business & Commercial Litigation, 2023
  • Arizona Business Leaders Magazine, AzBusiness Leaders - Insurance, 2021
  • AzBusiness Magazine, Arizona's Top 100 Lawyers - Construction Litigation, 2013, 2020; Insurance, Public Bidding and Procurement, Administrative Law, Professional Liability, Litigation, 2020
  • Maricopa County Bar Association's Hall of Fame, 2015
  • Arizona's Finest Lawyers, 2011
  • Lawdragon 3000 Leading Lawyers in the United States, 2010

COMMUNITY & PHILANTHROPY

  • Co-chair of the Arizona Kidney Foundation’s Dancing With the Stars Annual Fundraiser, 2011

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James Howard, Founder & Former CEO review icon
James Howard, Founder & Former CEO
Dudley Ventures
[Kevin] O'Malley is one of the finest trial lawyers in the U.S.
T.J. Wead review icon
T.J. Wead
Merit Partners
Kevin O'Malley at Gallagher & Kennedy was an invaluable asset in the swift and favorable resolution of our case.
Jeff Dunn review icon
Jeff Dunn
All City Towing
Kevin O'Malley of Gallagher & Kennedy is a very thorough and competent legal professional who deserves no less than our highest praise. Kevin's expertise in the field of Governmental Procurement was needed by our company recently and thus far has been invaluable. After an initial ramp-up period, he hit the ground running as if he knew our industry intimately. ... Kevin is focused and measured, even in the most stressful situations...
Bryan Savage, Retired Chief review icon
Bryan Savage, Retired Chief
Timber Mesa
Our team from Gallagher & Kennedy assisted us in a lengthy administrative law process. The attorneys were the best, most prepared, and most caring professionals I have had the pleasure to work with. Our interests became their interests and they were passionate about winning our case.