O'Reilly currently teaches at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, is a city council member, and serves as a trustree of the regional council of governments in the Cincinnati area. He has previously served on a county solid waste board overseeing local waste problems.
A former journalist and business lawyer, O’Reilly has lectured widely on recycling and liability throughout the United States, Mexico, and Europe. He has also presented on waste management issues to American Bar Association and International Municipal Law Association audiences. O’Reilly has also been a consultant to the Environmental Protection Agency and a frequent witness in legislative hearings on waste issues.