Attorneys
Jessica Gray KellyPartner
Jessica G. Kelly is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department and is chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Practice. She assists clients in a variety of industries with complex business litigation, including finance, biotech, and national retail. She also assists clients in real estate title, permitting, and environmental matters, as well as disputes arising from the purchase and sale of property. Jessica also represents lawyers and law firms in professional liability malpractice disputes and disciplinary investigations before the BBO.
Before law school, Jessica worked as a Victim Witness Advocate for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. After law school, Jessica was law clerk to the Hon. Donald G. Alexander, Maine Supreme Judicial Court. She is conversant in Spanish and has completed seven Boston marathons, as well as the New York City, Washington D.C., and Chicago marathons. She ran the 2018 Boston Marathon for My Life My Choice and the 2016 Boston Marathon for the Martin Richard Foundation.
Representative Experience
- Representing developers in zoning and permitting appeals
- Representing aviation company in wetlands permit appeal
- Representing national retailer in Superfund litigation
- Representing retailer in vendor dispute
- Real estate title litigation in land court
- Representing hedge funds and their investment manager in claims against funds’ former third party administrator
- Defending biotech company against claims of misappropriation of trade secrets by competitor
- Defending national retailer against claims brought by third party business brokers
- Defending town in appeal to administrative agency of a decision of the town’s zoning board of appeals
- Defending quasi-public finance agency in claims by guarantor and obtaining summary judgment that was affirmed by the Massachusetts Appeals Court
- Defending insurance company in coverage dispute and unfair insurance practices claim
- Advising and representing businesses in employment matters
- Defending lawyers and law firms in malpractice claims; obtaining full and partial summary judgment
- Defending lawyers in disciplinary investigations before the Board of Bar Overseers
Speaking Engagements And Publications
- “Bankruptcy Ruling Reminds Corp. Counsel to Mind Rule 1.13,” Law360, February 2019
- “The attorney-client relationship 101,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, December 31, 2018
- “How To Withdraw From Representation Ethically In Mass,” Law360, May 7, 2018
- “Corporate Counsel and Duties Beyond the Client,” Law360, January 3, 2018
- “Duties to Non-Client Third Parties,” speaker, Boston Bar Association, October 2017
- “Newly Elected Partner,” panel member, Boston Bar Association’s Brand Yourself 2.0 Conference, February 2017
- “Practicing with Professionalism,” speaker, Massachusetts Bar Association CLE, January 2017
- “Is the ‘hot potato doctrine’ now applicable in Massachusetts?” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, July 2016
- “Preparing a Client for Deposition,” panelist, Boston Bar Association, February 2016
- “Practicing with Professionalism,” speaker, Massachusetts Bar Association CLE, January 2016
- “Second Annual Consumer Advocacy Symposium and MBA Pinnacle Awards,” moderator, Massachusetts Bar Association CLE, November 2015
- “Litigation Practice & Strategy: What Every New Civil Litigator Should Know,” panelist, Boston Bar Association CLE, February 2015
- “Discovery Disputes,” panelist, Boston Bar Association CLE, February 2014
- “How to Protect Your Students from Cyberbullying,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 2012
- “Lateral Hires Can Bring on a Lot of Potential Conflicts Baggage,” ABA Journal, with Edward S. Cheng, December 2009
Community Involvement
- Political Asylum Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project
- 2015 Pro Bono Asylum Attorney of the Year
- Chair of firm’s United Way workplace campaign
Memberships
Latest Blog Posts
- Bankruptcy Court Weighs in on Conflicts of Interest in Business Transactions, January 25, 2019
- The Attorney – Client Relationship 101: Helpful Reminders Before, During and After Representation, September 24, 2018
- How to Withdraw from Representation Ethically in Mass, May 16, 2018
- Corporate Counsel And Duties Beyond The Client published on Law360.com, February 15, 2018
- Supreme Court Employment Cases to Watch, December 12, 2017
- Email Pitfalls in Business Transactions, October 13, 2015
- How to Avoid a Fee Dispute with Your Client, March 9, 2015
