Background
Michael J. Kelly was born on September 30, 1955. His professional life has been centered in Illinois, particularly Chicago, where he developed a career combining public prosecution with private litigation practice.
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Michael J. Kelly
Edit ProfileEducation
Kelly received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1977 and a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law in 1980. Notre Dame, founded in 1842 by the Congregation of Holy Cross, had developed into a major Catholic university by the time of Kelly’s undergraduate study.
DePaul University College of Law provided his professional legal education in Chicago. His 1980 law degree preceded admission to the Illinois bar in the same year, beginning a career that moved between public legal service and private litigation.
Career
Kelly began his legal career in Illinois after receiving his Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law and being admitted to the Illinois bar in 1980. From 1981 through 1990, he worked with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago, a public law office responsible for prosecuting criminal matters and representing Cook County in legal proceedings.
He later practiced with Freeborn & Peters in Chicago, where his work included antitrust and commercial litigation. Freeborn & Peters is a Chicago law firm with a long-standing business and litigation practice, reflecting the role of large urban firms in handling complex commercial disputes and regulatory matters.
Kelly was also appointed a Special Assistant Attorney General to prosecute the State of Illinois’s action against the tobacco industry. The Illinois tobacco litigation formed part of the nationwide state lawsuits that sought recovery of public healthcare costs and imposed restrictions on tobacco-company conduct; Freeborn Peters served as local counsel for Illinois in that litigation.
Achievements
References
- Michael J. Kelly - Litigation Attorney in Chicago, Illinois Professional reference documenting Kelly’s Illinois bar admission in 1980, education at the University of Notre Dame and DePaul University College of Law, litigation practice, and association with Freeborn & Peters.
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People v. Philip Morris, Inc.
Judicial account of Illinois tobacco litigation and the appointment of Freeborn Peters as local counsel for the state’s action against tobacco companies.
2001
