www.thebirthinjurylawfirm.com

Attorneys


Michael A. Kelly 
650 California Street
26th Floor
San Francisco, California 94108
 

Communication Center 
Phone: (415) 981-7210
E-mail: Email Me
Fax: (415) 391-6965

Web site:

http://www.walkuplawoffice.com
http://www.kaiserinjurylawyer.com
http://www.brain-injurylawyer.com
http://www.wrongfuldeath-law.com
http://www.thebirthinjurylawfirm.com
http://www.theburninjurylawfirm.com
http://www.muniaccidentlawyers.com
http://www.walkupblog.com


Areas of PracticeEducationHonors
AffiliationsRepresentative Cases


Selected as one of Northern California's Top Ten Super Lawyers in 2007, Michael A. Kelly is one of Northern California's top trial lawyers. In June of 2007 Mr. Kelly obtained the largest personal injury verdict in Sonoma County history, and one of the largest verdicts for paraplegia in state history. The verdict, in the amount of $9,420,840 was returned on behalf of a 28 year old construction worker whose physician failed to diagnose a spinal abscess. In March of 2007, the obtained the largest jury verdict for medical negligence in the history of El Dorado County. In the spring of 2006, he obtained a jury verdict which was, at that time, the largest ever reported for the wrongful death of a non-dependent adult child in San Francisco Superior Court.

Mr. Kelly is a two time "Trial Lawyer of the Year" nominee of the San Francisco Trial Lawyer's Association. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and of the International Society of Barristers, for whom he sits on their Board of Governors. He is a summa cum laude graduate of St. Mary's College of California and obtained his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1976. For the last 30 years he has specialized in the resolution of complex plaintiff's personal injury claims, including claims for wrongful death, and those arising from product liability, government negligence, obstetrical mismanagement, drug and device failure, vehicle defects (including roll-over accidents) and vehicle collisions.

In 2001 he was selected by the California Judicial Council to be a member of the task force empanelled to rewrite California's civil jury instructions. At the present time he continues on the Jury Instruction Advisory Committee for CACI. He has annually been selected for inclusion among "The Best Lawyers in America," for ten consecutive years and serves as Secretary of the American Board of Trial Advocates San Francisco Chapter.

Mr. Kelly has successfully prosecuted cases throughout California in both State and Federal Court. He has also litigated matters in Oregon, Hawaii, Colorado and the Territory of Guam. He has personally tried, arbitrated or mediated more than 100 cases in which the recovery on behalf of his client exceeded $1,000,000. He has obtained 8-figure jury verdicts and settlements in product liability, wrongful death and vehicle collision cases.

He holds an "AV" rating (highest rating) from Martindale-Hubbell and has been favorably profiled in legal periodicals. He is heavily involved in continuing legal education and teaches for NITA, the California Continuing Education of the Bar, ABOTA and The Rutter Group. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, and serves as Program Director of that organization's West Coast, Harvard and Colorado Teacher Training Programs.

Motor Vehicle Accidents
Defective Products
Medical Malpractice
Toxic Household Products
Brain Injury
Brain Stem Injury
Birth Injuries
Labor & Delivery Negligence

Areas of Practice:
Catastrophic Injury
Product Liability
Medical Malpractice
Premises Liability
Automobile Negligence
Wrongful Death
Traumatic Brain Injury Claims
Litigation Percentage:
100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions:
California, 1976
U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1976
Education:
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California, 1976


St. Mary's College of California, 1973
B.A.
Honors: Summa Cum Laude
Honors: Student Body President
Honors: De La Salle Medal (Academic Excellence)
Honors: Milliken Award (Student Affairs)


Representative Cases:
Goodloe v. Bell Sports, Inc.
Rachel K. v. Truck Line Operator
Family of H. v. UpRight, Inc.
Twins v. Fertility Center
Dahl v. Stone M.D.
Perry v. Budget Rent-A-Car
Henry V. v. PG&E
Child v. Pediatric Neurosurgeon
Johnston v. American Honda Motor Co.
Diana C. v. Devicemaker
Student v. Valley Unified School District
Michael O. v. County of Kern
Richard T. v. HMO
Machinist v. Industrial Machine Design
Infant v. HMO
Jastrab v. Kelada
Ethier v. Poindexter
Student v. Daimler-Chrysler
Michael N. v. U.S. Automaker
Baby Y. v. Sutter Health
Kozusko v. Parke-Davis
Govil v. Golden Gate Bridge
Magana v. Sunshine
Dani S. v. Maritime Industries
Arnold v. City and County of San Francisco
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Continuing Education of the Bar


National Institute of Trial Advocacy


American Bar Association


Consumer Attorneys of California


San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association


Assistant Professor of Law, University of California Hastings College of Law


Honors and Awards:
Listed Among the Best Lawyers in America, 2001 - 2005


Presidential Award of Merit, CAOC, 2001


Nominated Finalist, SFTLA's Trial Lawyer of the Year Award, 1999


Nominated Finalist, SFTLA's Trial Lawyer of the Year Award, 2001


Martindale-Hubbell, "AV" Rating


San Francisco Focus Magazine, "SuperLawyer", 2004


San Francisco Focus Magazine, "SuperLawyer", 2005


Northern California's Top Ten SuperLawyers, 2007


Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers


International Society of Barristers


Professional Associations and Memberships:
National Institute of Trial Advocacy
Director, Western US Teacher Training


American Board of Trial Advocates, 2002 - 2003
Associate, National Board Member


National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 2002 - Present
Member, Board of Trustees


San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 1996
President


National Institute of Trial Advocacy A West Coast Teacher Training
Program Director


Judicial Council of California Jury Instruction Task Force, 2000 - 2003
Member


Judicial Council Advisory Committee on Civil Jury Instructions (C.A.C.I.), 2004 - 2006
Member


San Francisco Superior Court
Judge Pro Tem


State Bar of California, Litigation Section
Member


Bar Association of San Francisco, 2001 - Present
Member: Judiciary Committee; Litigation Section Executive Committee


San Francisco Superior Court Judicial Arbitration Arbitrator Selection Committee, 1998 - Present
Member


Edward J. McFetridge San Francisco American Inn of Court, 1990 - 1993


American Association for Justice
Member


San Francisco Superior Court
Arbitrator


Association of Personal Injury Attorneys (United Kingdom)


Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
Member


San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 1990 - 1995
Executive Board Member


American Board of Trial Advocates San Francisco Chapter
Secretary


Birth Information:
August 14, 1951, San Francisco, California

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The attorneys at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger in San Francisco represent birth injury victims in California including San Jose, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Fresno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek, Concord, San Rafael, Napa, Redwood City, Stockton, Modesto, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and in Nevada including Reno, Las Vegas, Elko, Carson City, and Tahoe.