Biography • Product Liability Defence

Shook, Hardy & Bacon's Frank Kelly is a trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience representing clients in jury trials around the country. He is a partner in the San Francisco office and a member of the firm's executive committee. Over the last 15 years he has primarily handled complex individual and mass tort jury trials on behalf of corporate clients. He has obtained favourable 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.

Mr Kelly has been recognised for his trial skills by the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).

Mr Kelly's extensive courtroom experience in front of juries and familiarity with trial strategies has provided him a unique perspective in perceiving what issues are at the heart of a case. He continues to develop his trial skills and strives to serve as a role model and mentor to his associate attorneys as they become the next generation of SHB trial attorneys.

In addition to being selected to fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers and as a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Mr Kelly is also active in the Product Liability Advisory Council, the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC), the Defense Research Institute, the American Inns of Court, and the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California. He is also a member of the San Francisco Arbitration Panel, the Bench/Bar Settlement Programs and the American Bar Association.

Mr Kelly has lectured for 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, evidence, techniques of cross-examination, expert witnesses, discovery, bad faith, and insurance coverage for employment torts. He has conducted seminars on 'Liability for Failure to Warn, a Cautionary Tale for Manufacturers' and 'Direct and Cross Examinations.' He is also the author of 'The First District Reconsiders Motions to Reconsider', ADC Defense Comment (Fall 1995).

Mr Kelly is admitted to practice before the state and federal courts in California, and has been admitted pro hac vice throughout the country.