John C. Kelly

A trusted advisor to a diverse group of sophisticated clients, John represents many of the finance industry’s most active participants, work which includes regularly appearing for major investing, wealth management and brokerage firms that rely on him for representation in retail securities arbitrations around the country. Clients also benefit from John’s extensive experience litigating securities matters in state and federal courts, with recent notable achievements that include securing the dismissal of a complaint filed in New Jersey state court alleging violations of the New Jersey False Claims Act against a Fortune 50 financial institution in connection with the underwriting of hundreds of millions of dollars of municipal bonds, as well as the complete dismissal of an investor’s securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and related claims asserted in New Jersey federal court against a prime brokerage firm acquired by the client. In addition to his arbitration and courtroom experience, John regularly represents clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and state regulatory agencies and various certification boards.

A partner in the Litigation Practice Group, John also serves as primary outside counsel or outside general counsel to a diverse roster of businesses such as accounting firms, consumer electronics manufacturers, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, real estate owners/developers, and religious organizations. Clients leverage his deep knowledge of New Jersey and New York courts, significant mediation and arbitration experience, and track record of consistently delivering favorable results in a wide variety of business disputes, ranging from business divorce and partnership disputes, to real estate and construction related litigation. The key to John’s success as a trusted advisor is knowing a client’s business, its industry, and the legal, societal and market trends affecting it. John also helps clients manage risk and find alternatives to litigation if appropriate, consistent with an organization’s objectives. He is co-managing partner of the firm’s Miami office.