Sarah JamesBased in Rhode Island, John Tarantino is an accomplished public speaker and a leading legal mind in the US. He is Senior Counsel of Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC and has been recognized by Best Lawyers of America, Chambers USA, Benchmark and Lawdragon as one of the top attorneys in the country.
He is also the Managing Trustee of the Papitto Opportunity Connection (POC), the CEO of Iylon Precision Oncology and the Director of its charitable foundation, and the Managing Director of the John and Pat Tarantino Charitable Foundation (JPT).
Recently, John experienced much acclaim and success through his viral TEDx talk titled “Redemption Stories”. Delivered at the TEDx Providence conference in May 2023, John’s talk currently has over 20 million views and was the most-watched TEDx talk in the world in 2023.
Here are the key topics of expertise that John focuses on and is available for keynotes and other talks.
Leadership
John is experienced in delivering talks around the topic of leadership; particularly, how to be an effective leader.
Within these talks, John explores how the secret of effective leadership is getting your entire workforce to unite under a singular vision to buy into their roles in achieving it.
John also has extensive experience in delivering talks around diversity in the workforce. John’s talks cover how to ensure that everyone is heard and seen effectively to keep a team working as a cohesive unit.
He has delivered talks around leadership to a wide variety of organizations, including The Greater Providence YMCA, the United Way, the Black Business Association, The Centre for Southeast Asians, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Justice Assistance and the POC Connector Conference.
John has a deep awareness that what works in one community, won’t work in them all. Every community has different challenges, and the sign of a true leader is to learn how to operate in a way that promotes harmony. John takes the time to learn about the community he will be speaking to in-depth, so he can tailor his content to their needs.
John also delivers talks on how to deal with negative and disruptive influences in the workforce, covering the importance of having honest conversations about barriers, how to fix them, and how to ensure people feel appreciated and heard in the workplace.
“John captivates diverse audiences with his presence and authenticity. He is a master storyteller. His stories resonate with experiences and lessons learned throughout his years as a husband, father, friend, lawyer, and spiritual person. John is guided by his principles and core beliefs. His words invoke compassion and servant leadership—and they always give you a sense of hope. As John often says ‘Hope always finds a way. Always.’ Whenever I hear John speak, I am revitalized and eager to make a difference. He makes everyone want to be a better person. Where he leads, I will follow.”
Ting Barnard, Ting Barnard Studios, Community Leader
Philanthropy
Given his role in a wide variety of non-profit foundations, John is well-versed in delivering talks about the importance of being philanthropic.
These talks focus on two key subjects:
For those from wealthy economic backgrounds, John is passionate about teaching purpose-driven philanthropy, and the importance of basing donations on causes where you feel you can make the biggest difference. John believes that this helps people become a key part of the philanthropic system, rather than feeling like charitable donations are an obligation, and that “a cause needs to hit you in the heart, not your pocketbook”.
For those with less disposable income, John can speak about how a small donation, alongside passion and sharing a message you believe in, can create a grassroots movement for smaller organizations to make a big difference.
John is selective about the philanthropic organizations he speaks to and on behalf of, and will only engage with causes in which he believes.
For example, John delivered presentations to the YMCA on “The Gift of Swim” helping to develop a free of charge swimming lessons program for the community, after a series of tragic deaths due to drowning, particularly in the minority communities.
John has also delivered talks on the importance of funding rehabilitation programs for newly released prisoners, and how these can help formerly incarcerated people to become productive and tax-paying members of society.
He has also spoken about the importance of helping people own their own businesses and how this creates new opportunities not only on a personal level but also on an economic level for the states and country.
“John is an extremely accomplished public speaker with a remarkable talent to inspire and motivate others. His speaking style is a powerful blend of eloquence and passion. He leaves a lasting impression on his audience; one they won’t forget. The experience of listening to him is a joy and his emotional engagement with his audience would even make Tony Robbins jealous.”
Edward Pieroni, Attorney, Tax Advisor and Trustee of the Papitto Opportunity Connection
Law and The Judicial System
Thanks to his decades of experience as one of the United States’ most respected attorneys, John has extensive experience speaking the subject of law and the American Judicial System.
John has delivered talks to legal organizations of the highest level, including the American Bar Association and the state, regional and local bar associations throughout the US .
As the author of 11 legal texts and over 200 articles across a variety of legal subjects, John regularly delivers compelling talks on topics that are of great interest to anyone in the legal field, including the art of trying a case, and convincing the jury that your client should win.
“I met John early in my career and he ruined me. I just assumed that all trial lawyers were like him—gifted communicators—but I was wrong. His is a unique skill. He’s a great storyteller, who does not reflect the norm. But his true gift isn’t his eloquence, or his passion and conviction. Many have those skills. Its his ability to always reach his audience and draw them in. He connects.”
Beth Devlin, Principal, Edge Litigation Consulting LLC
Within this field, John’s major speaking interests are around Justice and Legal Ethics. John firmly believes that “the law isn’t settled until it is settled right” and welcomes opportunities to speak to groups and businesses about these topics, to provoke debates around improvements that could be made to create a fairer justice system for all.
“John is a lawyer’s lawyer, one of the most respected lawyers I’ve ever known. He is intelligent and persuasive, but what sets him apart is his innate ability to present his thoughts and convey his message to so many different audiences. I have heard him speak many times in court, in public, in seminars and conventions, and in bar association and bar foundation meetings. When I know that John is going to speak, I know it’s time to listen. I’ve heard him speak on difficult and controversial subjects with eloquence and sincerity. He never speaks above his audience. He always speaks to them as if he were talking to each person one-on-one. That is a real gift.”
Michael McElroy, President Rhode Island Bar Foundation
Motivational Speaking
Finally, thanks to his highly popular viral talk in 2023, John is available for opportunities to share stories of hope, redemption, and inspiration.
In “Redemption Stories”, John told the stories of two men who, for different reasons, go on their own journeys of redemption and inspire fundamental change not only within themselves but within their wider communities. This inspiring talk teaches us that we can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, recenter our lives, and give ourselves and our communities a renewed sense of hope. He has already been invited back to speak at the TEDx Providence event in 2024.
John’s unique sense of compassion, storytelling skills, and ability to emotionally engage with any audience combine to create an in-demand speaker of exceptional abilities.
“When John speaks, the room is captivated by his words. When he talks about his life experiences you feel like you have known him forever and were there with him every step on his journey. His stories motivate you to do better and be better. He has converted pain into purpose, and he gives a gift of perspective and grace. He makes the world a better place.”
Chris Downing, Renowned Celebrity Trainer, and Motivational Speaker
To find out more about booking John Tarantino to speak to your organization or at your event, please email him at jtarantino73@gmail.com
