Biography
Kelly is from North Carolina and moved to the Bay Area in 2019 to escape the humidity (and attend law school). Growing up in a single-parent home, Kelly has been working since her first job at sixteen and understands what it can be like to face unique family struggles.
Before pursuing her law degree, Kelly worked as a paralegal in debt collections and for the Department of Motor Vehicles. However, she remained drawn to family law after taking an Intro to Family Law class to earn her advanced paralegal certification. In law school, Kelly’s first two internships were in dependency law.
From there, Kelly worked in family law and estate planning with a solo practitioner who worked with members of the LGBTQIA+ and polyamorous communities, joining the firm as a junior attorney after becoming licensed.
Kelly left private practice to be a staff attorney at a non-profit for a year, specializing in family law, criminal expungement, and general civil cases for low-income clients.
Kelly is passionate about serving community members and is culturally competent to work with non-traditional families as a polyamorous queer woman herself.
Interesting Facts
With a passion for helping those when they need it most, Kelly approaches each case with empathy and unwavering advocacy, focusing on understanding the intricacies of each client’s situation. While Kelly prioritizes open communication and collaborative problem-solving, she will fight zealously for her clients. Kelly empowers clients with informed choices while guiding them through every step of their legal journey with diligence and integrity.
Kelly attended North Carolina State University and received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Kelly moved to San Jose to attend and receive her Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University School of Law.
Kelly focused on social justice in law school, earning a Certificate in Public Interest and Social Justice Law. Kelly worked part-time for the school’s Center for Social Justice and Public Interest. She was also involved in numerous law school organizations, including as president of the Social Justice Coalition and Public Relations Director for the school’s ACLU chapter.