Attorneys Who Know.
Attorneys Who Care.
John Q. Kelly
Nationally-Renowned Litigator
Subsequent to his landmark verdict as lead attorney for the Estate of Nicole Brown Simpson in its wrongful death action against O.J. Simpson, John Q. Kelly continues to successfully handle matters that receive national and international coverage, most recently representing President Donald J. Trump in his successful lawsuits against the major social media companies. Kelly has a reputation as a meticulous, no-nonsense litigator, schooled in the nuances of physical, forensic, and circumstantial evidence, battle-tested in the courtroom on countless occasions, and seasoned by 40 years of deftly interacting with the media.
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, wrongful death, and other civil litigation, 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.
High Profile Cases
President Donald J. Trump, et al. v. Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube
Lead litigation counsel in President Trump’s lawsuits against Twitter (now X), Facebook (now Meta) and YouTube for their two (2) year censorship of President Trump in early 2021. All three behemoth social media companies chose to settle after it was established that the companies had censored President Trump at the behest of, and under coercion from, Biden’s administration officials, thus amounting to a prior restraint of President Trump’s First Amendment right of free speech.
Estate Of Nicole Brown Simpson v. O.J. Simpson
The lead attorney for the Estate of Nicole Brown Simpson 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. Van der Sloot was later extradited to the United States, confessed to murdering Natalee, and pleaded guilty to the extortion and wire fraud counts in 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 participants, and viewers of the parade, 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. Kelly then filed a wrongful death action against Peterson on behalf of Ms. Savio’s estate. This led to the indictment of Peterson on murder charges, and Peterson was later convicted of the murder of Ms. Savio.
Estate Of Anne Scripps Douglas
Scripps publishing heiress bludgeoned to death by her husband, who then took his own life by leaping from the Tappan Zee Bridge. Kelly represented Anne’s estate in the subsequent custody battle over Anne’s infant child in Westchester County Surrogate Court.
Wrong Way Taconic Parkway Crash Victims
Attorney in the wrongful death actions for 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 in a parking garage adjacent to the Galleria Mall. The parking garage was owned and operated by 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 the canyon on a bright, sunny day.
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.
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 to 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.
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.
Estate Of Zachary Hartwell
Attorney for the Estate of 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 the Estate of a young child who accidentally plunged out of a 6th-floor hallway window when visiting his grandparents. The child was chasing a ball down the hallway when he fell through an open window at the end of the hallway with no safeguards in place.
Estate Of Barbara Kenna
Attorney for the Estate of Barbara Kenna who was shot to death by her landlord 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.
Verdicts & Settlements
Jury Verdict: $26.5 Million
Parent and young child lost lives when their motor vehicle was stopped in heavy traffic on interstate, and was rear-ended by a tractor trailer.
Settlement: $25 Million
President Donald J. Trump, et al., for Facebook’s (now Meta) prior restraint of President Trump’s First Amendment right to free speech.
Settlement: $24.5 Million
President Donald J. Trump, et al., for YouTube’s prior restraint of President Trump’s First Amendment right to free speech.
Jury Verdict: $12.5 Million
Estate of Nicole Brown Simpson awarded punitive damages against O.J. Simpson in its survival action against him for his intentional, malicious attack on her, resulting in her death.
Jury Verdict: $11.4 Million
Laborer working on elevator repair struck on head by falling debris, resulting in traumatic brain injury.
Settlement: $9.5 Million
Pedestrian on public thoroughfare struck on head by falling debris resulting in traumatic brain injury.
Settlement: $5.5 Million
Passenger in motor vehicle suffered traumatic brain injury in a vehicle that was struck by a tractor-trailer that ran a red light while exiting I-95.
Settlement: $5.5 Million
Passenger in motor vehicle lost life when struck head-on by legally intoxicated driver who crossed over highway divider.
Settlement: $4.75 Million
Patient blead to death in hospital room when left unattended after aborted surgery for spinal fusion.
Settled During Trail: $4.5 Million
Laborer electrocuted on job while operating an articulating boom crane on residential premises, resulting in severe burns.
Settlement: $3.6 Million
Individual lost life as a result of commercial aviation disaster.
Settlement: $3.5 Million
Rear passenger in a one motor vehicle accident.
Settlement: $3.25 Million
Pedestrian struck by school bus while walking on unmarked crosswalk, suffering broken pelvis and traumatic brain injury.
Settlement: $3.01 Million
Worker placing materials in back of van when van struck from behind by another vehicle, pinning worker between the two vehicles
Settlement: $3 Million
Pedestrian struck by commercial vehicle while crossing street mid-block, resulting in spinal cord injury.
Settlement: $2.85 Million
Passenger in private plane lost live when plane crashed on final approach.
Settlement: $2.8 Million
Contractor fell through concealed hole cut in floor of construction site, landing 10 feet below, and fracturing his spine.
Settlement: $2.6 Million
Woman assaulted and raped in residential neighborhood by parolee who was to be under 24 hour supervision by private company that contracted with county to provide supervision.
Settlement: $2.35 Million
Individual lost life from acute drug intoxication after ingesting a combination of prescription drugs and illegal drugs supplied by others.
Jury Verdict: $2 Million
Woman murdered during attempted mid-day car-jacking in municipal parking garage. Parking garage found to be lacking in reasonable security.
Settlement: $1.8 Million
French tourists drowned in flash flood that roared through slot canyon in Arizona that tour guide had led them into.
Settlement: $1.8 Million
Individual lost life in commercial aviation accident.
Settlement: $1.5 Million
Individual died in hospital as a result of negligent post-natal care.
Settlement: $1.35 Million
Child died as a result of fall out of unsecured window in residential apartment complex.
Settlement: $930,000
Homicide victim was tenant, resulting from long-running landlord/tenant conflict.
Settlement: $925,000
Individual lost her life when her vehicle was stopped in traffic and was rear-ended by a distracted driver at a high rate of speed.
Settlement: $900,000
Laborer fell from elevated I-beam on construction site, with no harness or protective netting, and fractured leg.
Settlement: $890,000
Cyclist hit large pothole in roadway, was thrown over handlebars and suffered traumatic brain injury.
Settlement: $850,000
Large limb from dead tree on private property broke and fell onto street, striking windshield of car, and injuring driver.
Jury Verdict: $750,000
Laborer got arm caught in unprotected metal lathe machine while working at commercial premises.
Client Testimonials
In The News
Kelly has appeared as both a featured guest and/or legal commentator frequently on all major network and cable news shows and been profiled/referenced in a multitude of documentaries and publications, including:
- The Wall Street Journal
- Greenwich Magazine
- People Magazine
- Time Magazine
- Newsweek Magazine
- Worth Magazine
- New York Magazine
- New York Times
- New York Post
- New York Daily News
- NBC’s The Today Show
- ABC’s Good Morning America
- CBS’s The Early Show
- Larry King Live
- Dr. Phil Show
- Nightline
- Dateline
- Primetime Live
- Fox News
- CNN Headline News
Attorney John Q. Kelly As Seen In The Media
Videos
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury/ Wrongful Death Litigation
- Class Action Litigation
Education
- 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
Bar Admission
- 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
Current Employment Position
- Partner
Languages
- Spanish
- English
- Portuguese
Litigation
- 100%