John Q. Kelly

Background

Kelly is described as a good storyteller, soft-spoken and low key, with no signs of the enormous ego so common in high-profile lawyers – the reputation of a nice guy outside, and a killer inside, the courtroom.

Starting out as a trial assistant in the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Kelly prosecuted mostly homicides and major narcotics cases. Later, as a criminal defense attorney, he successfully represented at trial a number of high-profile clients charged with major crimes. Kelly then turned his attention to personal injury and wrongful death litigation, often with criminal aspects, which has been his focus for the past 30 years.

Kelly grew up in Chicago, the eighth of nine children, of a school teacher mother, and lawyer father.  After graduating from Georgetown University, he traveled through Europe and the Middle East for approximately two years before returning to earn his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.

• Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts
  • J.D. – 1980
  • Law Journal: Suffolk Law Journal, Co-Editor-In-Chief
• Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
  • B.A. – 1975
  • Major: Political Science

• New York, 1981
• U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1983
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1983
• U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1986
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 2022

He handles matters in Connecticut, Illinois, Arizona, California, Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Florida, Puerto Rico, Aruba, & Italy

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Attorney John Q. Kelly As Seen In The Media

Videos

High Profile Cases

Estate Of Nicole Brown Simpson V. O.J. Simpson

The lead attorney for the Estate of Nicole Brown Simpson, et al. v. O.J. Simpson in the wrongful death action resulting from the homicides of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. After what was described as a near-flawless performance, the jury returned a verdict finding O.J. Simpson responsible for her death and awarding punitive damages to the Estate of Nicole Brown Simpson.

Natalee Holloway’s Mother, Beth Holloway

Attorney for Beth Holloway relating to the disappearance of her daughter, Natalee Holloway, while on spring break on the island of Aruba. It was Mr. Kelly’s planning, and personal interactions with suspect Joran van der Sloot that directly led to van der Sloot being indicted in the U.S. on federal extortion and wire fraud counts, charges he will face in an Alabama Federal Court.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Mishap

Attorney for Kathleen Caronna, who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade when the Cat in the Hat balloon struck and broke a lamp post, which then struck Ms. Caronna on the head. Greatly increased safety precautions for the people participating and viewers were implemented as a result of this matter.

Estate Of Kathleen Savio V. Ex-Cop Drew Peterson

Attorney for the Estate of Kathleen Savio, third wife of former Bollingbrook police officer Drew Peterson. A coroner’s inquest originally ruled Ms. Savio had accidentally drowned in her bathtub, but a subsequent inquest ruled the death a homicide, paving the way for a wrongful death claim by the Estate against Drew Peterson.

Estate Of Anne Scripps Douglas

Scripps publishing heiress bludgeoned to death by her husband, who then took his own life by leaping from Tappan Zee Bridge. Kelly represented Anne’s estate in the subsequent custody battle over Anne’s infant child in Surrogate Court.

Wrong Way Taconic Parkway Crash Victims

Attorney for the Estates of Mike Bastardi Sr. and Guy Bastardi, killed in a head-on automobile accident by a woman going the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway in her van with several children inside.

Galleria Parking Garage Homicide Victim

Attorney for the Estate of Concetta Russo-Carriero who was murdered at lunchtime on a weekday while walking to her car parked in a parking garage adjacent to the Galleria Mall. The parking garage was owned and operated to the City of White Plains. The jury returned a verdict against the City of White Plains, finding that the City failed to keep the premises in a reasonably safe condition.

Antelope Canyon Flash Flood Disaster Victims

Attorney for the Estates of several victims of the Antelope Canyon flash flood disaster. A group of French teenage girls drowned while on a guided Trek America tour through a slot canyon in Arizona when a flash flood roared through it on a bright, sunny day.

Estate Of Zachary Hartwell

Attorney for Zachary Hartwell, who was in the front passenger seat of a car driven by an intoxicated Ryan Dunn, star of the Jackass movie series. Mr. Dunn drove his Porsche off the road, when it then took flight, hit a tree flush, and was incinerated and demolished. Both Mr. Hartwell and Mr. Dunn died in the accident.

Estate Of Rachelle Curry

Attorney for Rachelle Curry, a Morgan Stanley analyst, who drowned under suspicious circumstances when her fiancé drove his car, with Rachelle in the front passenger seat, off the Sprain Brook Parkway, and into the Sprain Brook Reservoir. Rachelle’s fiancé was able to get safely to shore, while Rachelle drowned, with her seat belt still on, in the front passenger seat.

Estate Of Wu

Attorney for young child who accidentally plunged out a 6th floor hallway window when visiting his grandparents. The child was chasing a ball down the hallway when he fell through open window at the end of the hallway with no safeguards in place.

State Of Kentucky V. Martin

Phillips family retained Mr. Kelly to investigate a cold case triple homicide in Pembrooke, Kentucky, that occurred four years earlier. Mr. Kelly’s work directly contributed in the arrest and conviction of Mr. Martin, an ex-American Airline pilot. Mr. Martin received a life sentence for the three homicide convictions after a sensationalized trial covered by Court TV, then featured on Dateline.

Estate Of Barbara Kenna

Attorney for Barbara Kenna who was shot to death by her landlord, Louis Hubrecht, after enduring 30 years of hostility over her $567 per month rent-controlled apartment. The landlord claimed self-defense, which was rejected by the jury in the criminal trial. The estate of Ms. Kenna subsequently settled its wrongful death claim against the landlord.

Raffaele Sollecito (Amanda Knox’s Co-Defendant)

American attorney for Raffaele Sollecito, who along with Amanda Knox, was charged with the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy. Mr. Kelly was present in court in Florence, Italy when Mr. Sollecito appeared at the appeals trial to give his statement to the court and in Rome, Italy when all charges were dismissed against Mr. Sollecito.

Yankee Great Joe Pepitone

Attorney for Joe Pepitone, former New York Yankees great, charged with possessing a large amount of cocaine, a loaded weapon, currency, and drug transaction records. Facing a mandatory life sentence. Mr. Pepitone was acquitted by a jury of all felony counts.