John O. Cunningham

 

Upon request, I can provide a list of references relevant to the kind of service you seek. Below are excerpts of just some of the representative testimonials that have been provided to me by former clients, bosses or co-workers in letters and other writings.

“I was introduced to John Cunningham through Boston College, [seeking him] as a possible writer for the memoirs of my mother-in-law, Margaret Heckler, the former Secretary of Health and Human Services to President Ronald Reagan, former Congresswoman from Massachusetts, and former Ambassador to Ireland. John was quick to respond and listened well… and followed up our conversations with thorough emails stating the direction that I should go. He was very thoughtful and heartfelt.

I later needed his guidance in writing an application for exception to the burial rules for Arlington Cemetery [based on Margaret’s extensive lifelong support of the U.S. military]. Again, John came through with the correct wording that clearly made a substantial difference in the final product. I look forward to working with him again in the near future. He worked quickly and … even during the weekend to make a pressing deadline. John is exceptional in his field and will go the extra mile to put out a product that is accurate and professional.”  January 23, 2019

Kim Heckler, daughter-in-law to the Honorable Margaret Heckler

“WOW. I thought that [John Cunningham] was an AMAZING speaker. Really good presentation. A lot of it is common sense but nearly none of it is common practice for lawyers. I loved the reminder about how to distinguish yourself as a great lawyer. Thank you for putting this on and a job well done.” April 29, 2015

Richard P. Breed IV, lawyer at Bowditch & Dewey, LLP, writing to Jennifer Irvine, head of marketing for the firm 

“Thank you does not seem quite sufficient. The program last night was amazing, and you were the biggest factor in its great success. Thank you for all of your hard work.” May 16, 2014

Joanne Thorud, Director of Marketing for Davis, Malm & D’Agostine, writing about my work in conducting a panel event for the Legal Marketing Association

“You took coal and made it into diamonds for us.” (re: the starting point for some collateral content vs the finished product)  January 2013

Senior Partner at AAF & Co. P.C.

“We could not be more pleased with the quality of your work, John. You have done a fantastic job on this project. What a great balance of creating a narrative, an appropriate tone, technical summary, everything.” June 10, 2010

James K. Wagner, Jr. co-founder of DiscoverReady, LLC

“Our law firm hired John to help our senior associates and junior partners hone their marketing skills. His background as an in-house lawyer, legal journalist and business consultant sets John apart as a truly excellent and effective marketing coach for attorneys.” April 1, 2009

Bill Mandell, Partner at Pierce & Mandell

“John is an extremely creative, thoughtful and talented writer. He understands how to get to the core of a subject while keeping the piece compelling for the reader. John is very easy to work with and always delivers a great product. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a solid writer.” August 27, 2008

Deborah (Coppola) Scaringi, former  LMA New England President and Director of Marketing, Adler Pollock & Sheehan

“John is a skilled and creative writer, highly organized and extremely personable. Together, these attributes make him a consistent and exceptional writer and story teller. He is a pleasure to work with.” August 27, 2008

Keith Darcy, trade association executive who hired John as a Writer/Editor in 2007, and hired John more than once

“John is a pleasure to work with. He’s smart and creative. His writing is always clean and easy to edit. John also generates plenty of his own story ideas, which is a plus when working with freelance writers… John is also always reliable and timely. I can always count on him to write a story that I can use and deliver it on time.” August 26, 2008

Paul Boynton, former Editor of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and In-House magazine

“John is one of the most versatile and talented writers with whom I have ever worked. Whether it’s a 2,000-word magazine cover story, or a short 500-word profile, his writing is always informative, well-developed, and a true pleasure to read. In addition, his in-depth coverage of complicated topics underscores his top-notch reporting skills. He is punctual, a true professional and an individual who gives his best with every assignment.” July 24, 2008

Frank DiCesare, President and Publisher, DiCesare Publishing Co. and former Editor for the Warren Group publications

“Focus, integrity, intelligence; those are the traits John Cunningham brings to both personal and professional relationships. I have been fortunate to know John for more than 30 years and have counted on his good counsel in daily life and business practice. John is always thinking, often many steps ahead, and those who listen are the beneficiaries of his brilliance.” August 28, 2008

Robert Byrne, Century-21 franchisee, hired John as counselor in 1997

“John possesses a formidable package of intangibles. Foremost among these is his team-mindedness; then the courage and conviction which underpins his team-oriented mentality. John’s agendas are not personal but are based on the good of the team…. We have done a handful of rate the department surveys in the past three years and I can state that John’s [legal] department rated number one each time… John also brings people together. He has a natural ability to bring people to him and this contributes to his ability to lead and direct a team.” … from letter of recommendation for White House Fellowship in Summer of 1992

Paul Stevenson, former Sr. V.P. of Operations for Chief Auto Parts (1988 -1993)

“Genuine, straightforward, honest.  A brilliant one-of-a-kind person who can make a difference in your life. That is John Cunningham.” Summer 2007

Jan (Fish) Acocks, former Warehouse/Distribution Director, Chief Auto Parts

“There is no adequate way for the Thompson family to express how much we appreciate you. Your dedication, competence, and long, hard hours, days, nights, holidays and weekends of work were simply incredible [during our leveraged buyout].”  … from a letter of gratitude delivered with a special bonus, March, 1988

John and Jere Thompson, former President and Chairman of The Southland Corporation, when Southland was a Fortune 500 company

“John established service-minded standards for himself and his staff, and he produced high quality work [for Pizzeria UNO]…. In everything John did, he strived for quality work, prompt and courteous responses and results that advanced the company’s objectives within budget while meeting the different needs of multiple departments… His opinion and good judgment were of significant value to the company.”  …. from a reference letter to my clients, Yr. 1998

Robert M. Brown, former Sr. V.P. of Finance and Accounting, Uno Restaurant Corp.

“I worked with John Cunningham for the entire time he was Chief Legal Counsel for Uno Restaurants, and I would strongly recommend him for other positions based on that experience. John was very knowledgeable in all aspects of the law, but more importantly, he functioned well as part of the team and was able to help us make the appropriate business decisions rather than just reciting the law… I enjoyed working with John both personally and professionally [and note that] he made many significant contributions at Pizzeria Uno.” … from a reference letter to my clients, Yr. 1998

Damon M. Liever, former Sr. V.P. of Marketing, Uno Restaurant Corporation

“I learned more from John about story generation and interviewing than I did from several tenured editors that I had previously considered my mentors… and John’s passion for what he does is evident to the point of contagion… He is a tireless source of energy  regardless of distractions in his path… But more than anything about John, I admire his authenticity and the genuineness of his character.” … from a reference letter to my clients, Yr. 2006

Jeanne Greeley, freelance journalist and former co-worker at Lawyers Weekly

“John’s work habits are exemplary. I was consistently impressed with his dedication and his persistence as a reporter…. He has a very strong pride in the quality of his workmanship and he makes certain that every last detail in his work is as polished as he can make it. His writing has always been strong, reliable and error-free.”  …. reference letter, Yr. 2005

David L. Yas, former editor of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly