Early life Brian J. O’Neill was born in
Philadelphia, the son of a city police officer. He attended
Saint Joseph's University graduating in 1971, and the
Widener University School of Law, graduating there in 1975. Prior to his election to the city council, O’Neill worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer, as a Law Clerk in the Court of Common Pleas, and also operated a private attorney practice.
Political career O'Neill was first elected to Council in 1979, when he defeated incumbent Councilman Mel Greenberg on a campaign built on Greenberg's perceived apathy for the position. Additionally, he served as the President of the
National League of Cities in 1998. He introduced the
Philadelphia blunt ban in May 2006, which was adopted and signed by the mayor. He is a former city Council's Minority Leader. As of 2024, he is the only current Republican council member in Philadelphia, after Republicans lost the two at-large seats reserved by the City Charter for the minority party, to the Working Families Party. ==See also==