Michael A. Kelly

Personal Injury, Auto & Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death, Brain Injury, Paralysis & Medical Malpractice

As one of the nation’s top personal injury attorneys, Michael A. Kelly has been involved in some of California’s most-recognized consumer protection cases involving medical mistakes, dangerous household products, vehicle accidents and deadly wildfires.

Over the decades, Kelly has tried, settled or arbitrated more than 200 cases where the recovery by his client surpassed $1 million.

He has served for 20 years as a member of the Judicial Council of California’s C.A.C.I. jury instruction committee and this year was selected for induction into the National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame.

Over the past year, Kelly has served as colead counsel for a products liability matter in Contra Costa Superior Court, which alleges an association between the herbicide Paraquat and Parkinson’s disease Central Valley agricultural workers.

Kelly said one challenge in the case is finding living witnesses, as the herbicide was first used in the 1960s. And with many of his clients severely ill with Parkinson’s, Kelly said he’s hoping the case will reach trial early next year.

“We are very much committed to trying to get their cases resolved while they’re still alive,” he said.

Kelly also represents families who lost homes and loved ones in the Thomas Fire and the subsequent 2018 mudslides in Montecito. He served as a member of the litigation team that successfully prosecuted the case on behalf of 1,500 individual plaintiffs and, in 2021, was involved in settling multiple wrongful death cases related to the disasters.

“Finally, getting those cases to resolution at least brought closure to many of the families,” he said.

While Kelly enjoys tackling large and complicated mass tort cases, he said some of his most satisfying cases are wins for individual clients, who now have funds for the best medical care and therapy.

“One of the things I love most is that my work almost always ends up putting somebody in a position to optimize their life with their disability,” he said. “Putting people in a position where they now have the resources to try new and different therapies, to get the best doctors, to not be confined to their insurance, that is a great thing.”

– Kelly Puente