John has over 30 years of civil litigation experience and has successfully tried cases throughout the state of California and Federal District courts. Mr. Shaffery specializes in civil litigation with a focus on the defense of trucking and transportation claims; product liability claims; premises liability claims; fire, large loss and catastrophic claims; and business/commercial litigation and employment claims. He has extensive trial and litigation experience in cases involving motor vehicles and carriers, employment issues, medical devices, manufacturing and aviation machinery and equipment; product liability; restaurant equipment; premises liability; fire/burn cases; and employment matters. He has argued multiple Appellate matters before the California Courts of Appeal and is licensed in all four California based Federal Court Districts; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.
John is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and holds an AV Preeminent rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory for his level of skill and ethics. He is a member of the Trucking Insurance Defense Association (TIDA). He is also a member of Themis Advocates Group – a prominent national association of Trial Lawyers. He has been recognized as a California “Super Lawyer” in 2005, 2006 and 2009 - 2022. He served as Chairman of the Board for the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2010 (1100+ members) and was a founding principal and current executive board member of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation.
John is frequently a guest lecturer at national conferences and is the publisher of a monthly newsletter: “The California Tort Defender,” which discusses the current trends and analysis of California tort, transportation, premises liability and products liability litigation.
John received his Bachelors of Science degree from the School of Aeronautics at the Florida Institute of Technology and is a graduate of Southwestern University School of Law. Along with David Poole, John founded Poole Shaffery in 1998 which has grown to five offices located throughout Southern California.


Published Appellate Court Decisions
Thomas A. Bockrath v. Aldrich Chemical Co., Inc, et al.
(1999) 86 Cal. Rptr. 2d 846
Jose Hernandez v. The Superior Court;
(2003) 112 Cal.App.4th 285, 4 Cal.Rptr.3d 883
Fasuyi v. Permatex, Inc.
(2008) 167 Cal.App.4th 681
Maxton vs. Western States Metals
(2012) 203 Cal.App.4th 81
Bar and Court Admissions
State Bar of California
All Federal District Courts in California
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Supreme Court