Mr Frank Kelly > Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP > San Francisco, United States > Lawyer Profile

Mr Frank Kelly

415.544.1948 fkelly@shb.com View profile

Work Department

Product Liability Litigation

Position

Partner

Career

Frank represents clients in courtrooms around the country, providing local, regional and national trial experience for corporate clients involved in high-stakes litigation. A fourth-generation San Franciscan, Frank honed his trial skills in courtrooms throughout California. Beyond California, Frank has tried cases to verdict in Alaska, Connecticut, Florida, New York, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon and West Virginia.

Class actions, aggregated individual mass tort cases, complex product liability cases and catastrophic construction defect cases are the types of cases Frank handles for automobile, tobacco and other product manufacturers. Many of these cases involve serious claims for punitive damages, an area of the law in which Frank is regarded as deeply knowledgeable. To handle these cases effectively and efficiently, Frank manages highly competent trial teams; in addition, trying cases around the country often requires Frank to integrate lawyers from other firms into his teams.

Over the last 15 years, Frank has primarily handled complex individual and mass tort jury trials on behalf of corporate clients. He has obtained favorable jury verdicts in catastrophic injury and wrongful death product liability cases on behalf of tobacco companies, automobile manufacturers, trucking companies and construction companies. He has tried commercial cases involving allegations of defective construction, improper roadway design, diseased agricultural products, insurance bad faith, sexual harassment, first-party insurance coverage and housing discrimination.

Frank has been recognized for his trial skills by the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates. Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has awarded him nationwide recognition in the field of Product Liability & Mass Torts. He also is active in the Product Liability Advisory Council, the American Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute and the American Inns of Court. Frank has lectured before the Product Liability Advisory Council, the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California, the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association and Hastings College of the Law on such topics as international discovery, trial evidence, techniques of cross-examination, expert witnesses, discovery, bad faith and insurance coverage for employment torts. He also has conducted seminars on liability for the failure to warn, and direct and cross examinations.

Frank provides pro bono service through the San Francisco office’s homeless advocacy programs.

Memberships

• American College of Trial Lawyers
• American Board of Trial Advocates
• American Inns of Court
• American Bar Association,
• Defense Research Institute
• Product Liability Advisory Council

Education

• J.D., University of California Hastings College of the Law, 1978
• B.S., University of Santa Clara, 1975