Between college and law school, he served on active duty with the United States Navy as a line officer in submarines and was engineer officer of the navy's first guided missile submarine, from 1955 to 1959.

After leaving the navy, he served in Washington, D.C. as staff assistant to United States Senator Philip A.

He was in private practice in Detroit, Michigan from 1962 to 1994, specializing in employment law litigation, representing management clients.

He became a partner in the firm of Dickinson, Wright, Moon, VanDusen and Freeman of Detroit, Michigan.

[2] John Corbett O'Meara died in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on October 5, 2024, at the age of 90.