Michael A. Kelly

He is a sought-after speaker and teacher, having presented more than 200 invited lectures, tutorials, seminars and advocacy demonstrations across the United States, Asia, South America, the United Kingdom and Eastern Europe. He is a founding executive board member of Trial School, a not-for-profit skills training organization that teaches trial techniques to lawyers who represent injured victims. He annually chairs a seminar for lawyers who represent medical malpractice victims injured by Kaiser and the Permanente Medical Group. He is committed to protecting the right to a jury trial in all civil cases and to training consumer lawyers to be zealous advocates on behalf of injured clients.

Representative Cases

• PG&E NorCal Wildfire Litigation – Electrically triggered wildfires,  $13.5 billion dollar Settlement
• Family v. Company – Settlement – Negligence / Wrongful death – $50,000,000
• Urban Tenant v. Real Estate Manager – Property Defect / Quadriplegia, $42,000,000 Settlement
• Rogers v. Associated Clinics – Obstetric Malpractice / Brain Injury, $23,200,000 Jury Verdict
• Children v. Electrical Utility  – Death of Mother, $22,000,000 Settlement
• Child v. Any Truck – Truck v. Auto Collision, Pediatric Brain Injury, 18,000,000 Settlement
• Goodloe v. Bell Sports, Inc. – Defective Bicycle Helmet / Brain Injury, $17,000,000 Jury Verdict
• Rachel K. v. Truck Line Operator – Bicycle v. Semi-Truck / Catastrophic Injuries, $15,000,000 Settlement
• Parents v. Preschool Operator – Playground injury / Wrongful Death of Child , 15,000,000 Settlement
• Tourist v. Tahoe Resort – Fall on Hotel Premises / Paraplegia, $14,000,000 Settlement
• Teen v. Sierra Ski Center  – Fall from unmapped hazard / Brain injury, $13,200,000 Settlement
• Tourist v. Sierra Resort – Fall on Hotel Premises / Paraplegia, $14,000,000 Settlement
• Teen v. Auto Component Re-Seller – Vehicle Stability Failure / Paralysis, $12,500,000 Settlement
• Driver v. Commercial Truck – Freeway Roll Over / Brain Injury to 37 year old, 11,900,000 Settlement
• Survivors v. General Contractor – Construction Site Injury / Wrongful Death, $10,500,000 Settlement
• Family of H. v. UpRight, Inc. – Defective Industrial Product / Wrongful Death, $10,000,000 Settlement
• Infant v. Obstetrician – Negligent Delivery / Brain Damage – $9,950,000 Settlement
• Neonate v. OBGYN Group – Delayed Cesarean Delivery / Cerebral Palsy, $9,500,000 Settlement
• Twins v. Fertility Center – Fertility Clinic Negligence / Congenital Disease, $9,500,000 Settlement
• Dahl v. Stone M.D. – Paraplegia / Medical Malpractice, $9,420,840 Jury Verdict
• Daughter v. Public Utility – Death of Father in Utility Caused Fire, $9,000,000 Settlement
• Perry v. Budget Rent-A-Car – Automobile Accident, $8,775,000 Jury Verdict
• Kammerer v. Alimak Hek, Inc. – Construction Site Fall / Arm Amputation, $8,350,000 Jury Verdict
• Kransky v. DePuy Inc. – Defective Metal on Metal Prosthetic Hip, $8,300,000 Jury Verdict
• Senior Citizen v National Restaurant Chain- Fall in Restaurant / Brain Injury , $8,000,000 Settlement
• Estimator v. Tech Center – Fall From Dangerous Roof Structure / Wrongful Death , $8,000,000 Settlement
• Widow v. National Package Delivery – Truck v. Auto Collision / Wrongful Death, $7,750,000 Settlement
• Infant v. HMO – Gynecology Negligence / Birth Injury, $7,500,000 Settlement
• Henry V. v. PG&E – Electrocution / Utility Negligence, $7,000,000 Settlement
• Child v. Pediatric Neurosurgeon – Quadriplegia / Surgical Error, $6,350,000 Settlement
• Family v. S.F. Hospital – Wrongful Death / Medical Malpractice, $5,850,000 Settlement
• Johnston v. American Honda Motor Co. – Product Liability / Wrongful Death, $5,760,000 Jury Verdict
• Software Engineer v. Hospital Corp. – Failure to Diagnose Aneurysm / Brain Damage, $5,475,000 Settlement
• Diana C. v. Device Maker – Defective Medical Device / Paralysis, $5,250,000 Settlement
• Kim v. Super Shuttle – Auto Accident / Wrongful Death, $5,176,000 Jury Verdict
• Richard L. v. HMO – Failure to Diagnose Spinal Abscess, $5,250,000 Settlement
• Serviceman v. Foreign Auto Maker – Defective Seat Belt/ Traumatic Brain Injury , $4,850,000 Settlement
• Olivier v. Petroleum Supplier – Loss of Leg / Motorcycle Accident, $4,500,000 Settlement
• Student v. Valley Unified School District – Negligent School Supervision Paraplegia, $4,500,000 Settlement
• Richard T. v. HMO – Brain Damage – Failure to Diagnose Cardiomyopathy, $4,250,000 Settlement
• Grotenhuis v. Golden Gate Bridge Transportation District – Bus Strikes Pedestrian / Wrongful Death, $4,000,000 Jury Verdict
• Machinist v. Industrial Machine Design – Product Liability / Brain Damage, $4,000,000 Settlement
• Jastrab v. Kelada – Failure to Diagnose Infection / Permanent Leg Injury, $3,170,000 Jury Verdict
• Ethier v. Poindexter – Wrongful Death of Child, $3,030,000 Jury Verdict
• Student v. Daimler-Chrysler – Defective Seatbelt / Spinal Cord Injury, $3,000,000 Settlement
• Michael N. v. U.S. Automaker – Vehicle Stability Defect / Rollover Accident, $2,900,000 Settlement
• Baby Y. v. Sutter Health – Failure to Diagnose Kernicterus, $2,900,000 Settlement

Honors, Professional Affiliations and Associations:

• Martindale-Hubbell, “AV” Rating (highest rating; received annually each year since first rated in 1982)
• Member, Inner Circle of Advocates
• Member, The Summit Council
• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
• International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Member
• International Society of Barristers, Fellow; President (2012 – 2013); Member, Board of Governors (2002 – 2012)
• Member Irish 100
• California ABOTA, Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2014
• San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2010 (also nominated 1999, 2001, 2008)
• Law Dragon 500 (2014-2022; Inducted in LawDragon Hall of Fame 2021)
• Listed, “The Best Lawyers In America” (1995 – 2024; “Lawyer of the Year”, 2017, 2023)
• Top Ten Northern California “Super Lawyers” (2007- 2012; 2017- 2024)
• American Board of Trial Advocates San Francisco Chapter, President (2010); National Board Member (2002 – 2014)
• Foundation of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Member Board of Trustees (2010 -2013)
• Recipient, CAOC Robert Cartwright Award for Teaching Trial Advocacy (2012)
• Recipient, Robert Oliphant Award for Teaching Excellence, N.I.T.A. (2011)
• Award of Merit, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2014, 2017
• National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Member; Board of Trustees (2002 – 2021)
• U.C. Hastings Foundation, Member Board of Trustees (2010 – 2022)
• San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, President (1996); Executive Board Member (1990-1995)
• National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Program Director: West Coast Teacher Training (2001 – 2010); Harvard Teacher Training (2005 – 2008); Colorado Teacher Training (2006 – 2007); New York Teacher Training (2009 – 2012)
• Judicial Council of California, Member, Commission on the Future of California Courts (2015 – 2017)
• Judicial Council of California, Member, Jury Instruction Task Force (2000 – 2003)
• Judicial Council of California Advisory, Member, Committee on Civil Jury Instructions (C.A.C.I.) (2004 – 2022)
• Consumer Attorneys of California, Finalist, Consumer Attorney of the Year (2008, 2010, 2014)
• San Francisco Superior Court Judge Pro Team
• Bar Association of San Francisco, Member: Judiciary Committee; Litigation Section Executive Committee (2001 – 2006)
• San Francisco Superior Court Judicial Arbitration Arbitrator Selection Committee, Member (1998 – 2008)
• American Association for Justice, Member
• Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, Member