Ms. Kelly, an Oakland, California native, is a career defense litigator with over 30 years of experience defending corporations and public entities from a variety of claims. She has extensive trial, mediation, and arbitration experience in a wide variety of areas, including complex toxic torts, products liability, premises liability, government tort liability, construction defect, Americans with Disabilities Act claims, employment claims, intentional torts (libel, slander, fraud, assault and battery) and motor vehicle cases involving significant injuries, including brain damage, loss of limb, paralysis, and death. Ms. Kelly has also handled cases through the Appellate stage.

Representative Litigation Experience

  • Hill v. ACandS, Inc., et al. (2014) Second chair San Francisco jury trial resulting in defense verdict in favor of asbestos fiber supplier in wrongful death mesothelioma case.
  • Nunez v. Advocate Mines, et al. (2011) Second chair Los Angeles jury trial resulting in complete defense verdict, in favor of an asbestos fiber broker, in a wrongful death mesothelioma case.
  • Clark v. Karnezis (2007) First chair San Francisco jury trial resulting in complete defense verdict, in favor of 19 year-old driver sued by a physician severely injured during a motor vehicle accident. Successfully appealed the reversal of the defense verdict before the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District.
  • Gibbs v. Holmes, et al. (2005) Successful defense, through Summary Judgment, of Ackerman McQueen, a national public relations firm, in a San Francisco case involving claims of intentional tort and employment claims.
  • Van v. BARTD, et al (1998) Second chair Contra Costa jury trial resulting in nonsuit for BARTD, involving Plaintiff in persistent vegetative state claiming dangerous condition of public premises due to ongoing construction of the Pittsburgh-Antioch BARTD extension.
  • Tillis v. Oakland Coliseum / Syufy Theaters (1997) First chair Oakland jury trial resulting in complete defense verdict in favor of Oakland Coliseum / Syufy, in a case involving claims of dangerous condition of the premises.
  • Batieste v. Bay Area Rapid Transit District (1996) First chair Oakland jury trial resulting in complete defense verdict in favor of BARTD, in a case involving claims of  dangerous condition of public property.
  • Hail v. Abex, et al. (1994) First chair San Francisco jury trial resulting in complete defense verdict, in favor of insulation distributor / contractor in a wrongful death lung cancer case.
  • Brayton Group 6 (1990) 2nd chair San Francisco jury trial defending insulation distributor / contractor in the first consolidated group of asbestos cases to be tried in San Francisco. Bifurcated trial where the jury awarded each of the 10 plaintiffs alleging asbestosis significantly less than the demand and Plaintiffs declined to proceed to Phase Two of the trial, settling for significantly less than the Phase One verdict.
  • Walker v. Abex, et al. (1989) First chair San Francisco jury trial resulting in complete defense verdict in favor of insulation distributor / contractor sued for personal injury (asbestosis)

Reported Cases

  • Hughes v. Western MacArthur (1987) 192 Cal.App.3d 951. Prepared successful Respondent’s Brief on Appeal. Court of Appeal decision requiring that plaintiffs specifically plead successor liability.

Admitted to Practice

  • California State Bar – 1984
  • U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Education

  • J.D.- University of San Francisco, The School of Law (1983)
  • B.A.- California State University, Hayward (1980) Political Science Major, Public Administration Option with a Business Administration Minor

Professional Associations

  • Alameda and San Francisco County Bar Associations
  • American Bar Association, Litigation Division
  • Queen’s Bench Bar Association
  • Charles Houston Bar Association