John P. O’Malley
Partner
jomalley@delfinomadden.com
916.661.5815
Assistant:
Sarah Johnston
sjohnston@delfinomadden.com
916.661.5697
Practice Areas
John O’Malley is a Certified Family Law Specialist who helps clients navigate this extraordinarily complex and emotionally challenging legal landscape. His practice includes dissolution of marriage, legal separation, domestic partnership dissolutions, child custody, child support, spousal support, domestic violence and guardianship proceedings. He has also negotiated and drafted numerous pre-marital agreements, often in cases involving high incomes and robust estates. John serves clients from all walks of life ranging from surgeons, lawyers, politicians, lobbyists, general contractors and professional athletes to middle-class salaried employees and homemakers.
John is a successful courtroom attorney, having adeptly handled dozens of contested trials and hundreds of short cause non-evidentiary hearings. But as much success as John has had in court, he is particularly proud of the settlements he has reached outside of court through mediation and negotiation. As the father of four children, John approaches every case sensitive to the fact that the decisions his clients make will have an indelible impact on the family unit. And so, while John is an aggressive advocate, he balances his competitive spirit with helping his clients focus on the long-term effect their choices will have on their families’ future.
Before attending law school, John worked in a highly competitive commission sales environment, where he consistently ranked in the top 1% of salespersons for a national electronic sales company. That experience helped John develop communication and negotiation skills that he puts to use as a lawyer, achieving excellent results for clients through carefully planned negotiations.
When John is not working or spending time with his family, he devotes his energy to giving back to his community through activities such as Rotary. John is also an avid runner, having completed 7 marathons including the 2013 and 2015 Boston Marathons. John uses his running time to strategize and focus on his cases.
*Certified Family Law Specialist, California Board of Legal Specialization
Delfino Madden’s family law practice is sensitive to the privacy of our clients, which prevents our sharing specific case results. However, John has developed a strong reputation in Sacramento as an aggressive and compassionate advocate, who has achieved many favorable case outcomes for clients both through litigation and outside of court.
John’s clients and friends often comment that his upbeat demeanor is unusual for a family law attorney. But as he shares, his clients come to him at the worst time of their lives, so they have nowhere to go but up. And John has the unique privilege of helping them start over and regain control over their lives. Family law is emotional and, at times, challenging to all involved. Which is why achieving positive results for clients is all the more rewarding to John.
Professional, Community and Pro Bono Involvement
- Member, Woodland Sunrise Rotary Club, 2008 – present
- Member, Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, 2003 – present
- Member, Sacramento County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1999 – present
- Executive Committee Member, Sacramento County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2016 – 2019
- Chair, Sacramento County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2018
- Board Member, UC Davis School of Law (King Hall) Alumni Board of Director, 2009 – 2013
- Former Board Member, Yolo Wayfarer Center, 2008 – 2012
- Former Member, Anthony M. Kennedy Inns of Court, 2004 – 2005
Honors and Rankings
- Certified Family Law Specialist, California Board of Legal Specialization
- Best of the Bar, Family Law, Sacramento Business Journal, 2014 – 2016, 2018, 2019
- Northern California Super Lawyers, 2017-2021
Education
- J.D., University of California at Davis School of Law, 1998
- B.A., summa cum laude, California State University, Fresno, 1993
Bar Admissions
- California, 1998
Court Admissions
- United States District Court Eastern District of California
Languages
- Spanish, conversational
In the News
2013
For Law Students, Health Care is Hot and Real Estate is Not
Sacramento Business Journal
Got Work? Law Firms, Schools Adjust as Students Struggle to Find Work
Sacramento Business Journal
2011
On Their Own Dime
Sacramento Business Journal
Speaking Engagements/Events
2019
Closing Argument, CCP 631.8 Motions and Protecting Your Case for Appeal, September 25, 2019
Sacramento County Association of Certified Family Law Specialists
Presenter
Judicial Forum: The Judges Speak: Family Law Do’s and Don’ts, December 6, 2019
National Business Institute
Presenter
2018
Drafting Effective Premarital Agreements, August 30, 2018
Sacramento County Bar Association Family Law Section
Presenter
Family Court Judicial Forum, December 7, 2018
National Business Institute
Moderator
2011
What Judges Want You to Know About Family Court
National Business Institute
Moderator