John P. O'Donnell

As Director of Information Security at Taft, John O’Donnell oversees key aspects of the firm’s information security program, guiding the evolution of its security capabilities as the firm grows through mergers and expansion. He brings a strategic and hands-on approach to protecting firm and client information, strengthening cyber resilience, and aligning security initiatives with the needs of a growing legal organization. His responsibilities span security strategy, security engineering and architecture, technology evaluation, and team leadership, with an emphasis on building scalable security capabilities across an increasingly complex firm environment.

John brings more than 25 years of information technology experience, including leadership roles across infrastructure, security, and technology operations. His background includes leading IT teams for a privately held company, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, a Fortune 500 manufacturing leader and a Cleveland-area law firm. He draws on that experience to connect security priorities with practical implementation, helping build secure, scalable technology capabilities that support attorneys, staff, and the firm’s continued growth.