Kelly A. Kono

Kelly Kono applies her natural competitive drive to every case she handles to obtain the best possible results for her clients. She has comprehensive experience handling all phases of the litigation process from pre-litigation investigation through dispositive motions and trial. Kelly manages every case with an eye toward trial in order to ensure the most favorable outcomes throughout every step of litigation.

As a young attorney, Kelly has gained extensive trial experience. She has successfully second-chaired several trials to verdict for high-profile medical and professional clients while taking on key roles throughout the process.

Kelly concentrates her practice in the defense of health care professionals, institutions and long-term care facilities in various types of litigation including personal injury and wrongful death. She has substantial experience defending these matters from pre-litigation claims all the way to post-trial motions. Kelly also has significant experience representing many types of employers, including healthcare employers, in employment practice matters before state, local, and federal investigatory bodies and courts.

Kelly also devotes her practice to the defense of products, premises and construction liability matters. She excels at handling these claims both in and out of the courtroom in an effective and efficient fashion.

Kelly earned her law degree magna cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law. She attended law school as a Celia M. Howard Fellow. While in law school, she participated in the Chicago Bar Association’s Moot Court Competition and served on the Executive Board of the University of Illinois Journal of Law, Technology & Policy as Administrative Editor. She also served as a judicial extern to Cook County Circuit Judge Debra B. Walker.

She earned her bachelor’s degree, with the College of Arts & Sciences Honors, with a double major in Political Science and English from Washington University in St. Louis. During her time there, she was a four-year member of the varsity swim team, earning 20 NCAA All-American citations, including two runner-up finishes at the NCAA finals. She was also a four-year member of the Academic All-Conference Team and was named to the 2008 Academic All-American Team by ESPN the Magazine.

In her spare time, Kelly volunteers as a member of the Washington University Alumni and Parent Admission Program. She also enjoys skiing, scuba diving, and CrossFit.