John began private practice in Scottsbluff, Nebraska where he became partner in the firm of Simmons, Olsen, Ediger, Selzer & Ballew. P.C. In 1991, John moved back to Lincoln and became associated with Baylor, Evnen, Curtiss, Grimit & Witt. In 1995, John and M.J. Bruckner formed The Bruckner/Ballew Law Firm, P.C. before he and Vic Covalt decided to form this firm in 1999.
Over the past thirty years, John has concentrated his trial practice in the areas of personal injury and complex and high asset divorce cases. He is one of only ten lawyers in Nebraska admitted to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and is the only lawyer in Nebraska who is both a Fellow in the American Academy and Board Certified as a Family Law Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers In America since 2001. In 2007, he was recognized by SuperLawyers.com as one of the top lawyers in Nebraska. John coached two championship high school mock trial teams while in Scottsbluff. He also received the first Robert M. Spire Pro Bono Award given by the Nebraska Bar Association in 1986 for his efforts in representing low-income clients. He has chaired both the Family Law and Bankruptcy Sections of the Nebraska Bar Association and has been a frequent speaker at continuing education seminars on bankruptcy and divorce. In recent years he has spoken to the Nebraska County and District Court Judges Associations, the Nebraska Trial Lawyers Association and regularly speaks at the Annual Institute on the Survey of Nebraska law concerning recent legislative and case law developments in family law. On three occasions his work with state senators has resulted in significant changes in Nebraska law concerning divorce and bankruptcy.
John has appeared before the Nebraska Supreme Court and Nebraska Court of Appeals more than 30 times in connection with appeals in the areas of divorce and family law, products liability, property taxation and personal injury.
