FENNEL John

Since becoming a lawyer in 2006, John Fennel has successfully represented his clients before juries and judges. He began his career in Massachusetts, litigating both at the trial and appellate levels in state courts. In 2015, he was called to the Bar in Ontario, where he continues to achieve favorable results for his clients in trials and appeals.

John has a particular interest in cases involving expert testimony. Drawing on his academic background, he is skilled at demonstrating the unreliability of testimony from individuals who testify on behalf of the prison-industrial complex. He has successfully excluded breathalyzer test results from evidence and has convinced juries to reject predictions about future recidivism. He also argued an appeal in a case that, based on scientific evidence regarding the actual functioning of memory, led to radical changes in jury instructions for eyewitness identifications in Massachusetts. Erroneous expert testimony and mistaken identifications are major causes of wrongful convictions, and John is prepared to challenge both.

John earned his Bachelor of Science in Physics from James Madison University in 1993. In 1999, he received a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Georgia. After several years of teaching philosophy at the university level, John attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2006. Thanks to his extensive academic experience, he is also well-equipped to assist students facing allegations of academic dishonesty. He has published articles on issues related to forensic mental health as well as search and seizure law.