M. John Condello

M. John Condello is a Veterans Legal Analyst, attorney, and veterans services officer with Hawaii Disability Legal Services, LLLC. Working alongside attorney Diane C. Haar and the firm’s veterans advocacy team, he helps veterans throughout Hawaii and the Pacific understand and pursue the disability benefits they earned through military service. His multidisciplinary background in law, counseling, social work, ministry, and public service enables him to approach each matter with detailed legal knowledge and a strong understanding of the personal challenges veterans and their families may face.

John earned his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and Police Science, graduating cum laude from Seattle University. He later graduated cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law, where he participated in legal advocacy involving tribal, state, and federal matters. He also completed an LL.M. through the University of Washington’s Law and Marine Affairs program. His early professional experience included juvenile justice work, investigative social work, public defense, advocacy for people experiencing poverty or severe mental illness, and assistance for veterans seeking essential services and benefits.

After relocating to Hawaii, John joined the Hawaii Office of Veterans Services, where he worked as a veterans services officer and traveled throughout the state to serve veterans, train staff, and expand outreach to communities including Molokai and Lanai. He developed extensive experience with veterans disability appeals and successfully argued hundreds of matters before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. In 2013, he was appointed Senior Counselor, also known as Veterans Services Coordinator, and in 2020 he received the Hawaii Department of Defense’s Manager of the Year honor.

John retired from the Office of Veterans Services in 2022 and joined Hawaii Disability Legal Services, where he continues to assist veterans across Hawaii and the broader Pacific region. He combines decades of advocacy and public-service experience with a compassionate, client-focused approach, helping veterans navigate complicated benefit requirements, organize supporting evidence, address claim denials, and pursue appeals when appropriate.

Primary Areas of Assistance

• Veterans disability benefit claims
• VA disability appeals
• Board of Veterans’ Appeals matters
• Disability evidence and claim development
• Veterans benefits counseling
• Claims involving service-connected medical conditions
• Advocacy for veterans throughout Hawaii and the Pacific