We want to offer our congratulations to Patrick Kelly, who received the Shattuck-Price Outstanding Lawyer Award from the Los Angeles County Bar Association in recognition of his dedication and service to the legal profession and the law. Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Kelly served as LACBA President, a Trustee on two separate occasions, Chair of the Special Committee that developed Los Angeles Lawyer and the inaugural Chair of the magazine’s editorial board. He is also past President of the State Bar of California, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and former President of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society. A frequent author and columnist, Mr. Kelly was an original co-author of the California Insurance Litigation Guide, the most-cited insurance treatise in the state.
While State Bar President, working with the American Board of Trial Advocates, Mr. Kelly led the effort to urge the Supreme Court to add the now familiar civility commitment to the Attorney Oath, and as a member of the Open Courts Coalition, urged better access to justice through improved court funding. Mr. Kelly was also appointed by then California Governor Pete Wilson to serve as one of 11 members of the Commission on Judicial Performance, which disciplines California state judges and has the power to remove them from the bench. He served as Chair of the rules committee that rewrote the rules that guide the Commission. For his leadership in the courts, Mr. Kelly was elected to the California Judicial Council, the board chaired by the Chief Justice that oversees the California Judicial Branch, including all California courts.
Mr. Kelly has been with the law firm of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman and Dicker LLP since 1980, where from 1980 to 2013 he served as the firm’s Western Region Manager and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He is now a Senior Counsel at Wilson Elser, focusing on defending individuals, companies, insurers and ski resorts in high-stakes professional, general, product, automotive, commercial liability and insurance coverage cases. He also represents insurance carriers in coverage and bad faith matters, constantly using his knowledge and skills to better his profession and improve the administration of justice.
Congratulations, Patrick! This is a distinguished and well-deserved honor.
Fantastic and well deserved !! I have known Pat since the late 1970’s!! Congratulations!!