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Professional Profile

Mr. Kelly is a civil litigation attorney whose practice focuses on commercial litigation. He regularly handles court cases as well as NASD and AAA arbitrations on behalf of financial institutions and professionals, including registered investment advisors (RIAs), insurance agents, financial planners (CFPs), registered representatives and securities broker-dealers. Mr. Kelly also actively practices in the area of employment law, defending companies in employment actions arising under state and Federal employment statutes. His practice also includes real estate litigation, commercial and residential, as well as miscellaneous professional liability defense.

Legal Experience

Mr. Kelly’s experience includes cases governed by ERISA, Federal and State securities laws, RICO, the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act and the UCC. He has handled several high-profile securities/RICO actions representing defendants in class action lawsuits, multi-district litigation, and multiple securities lawsuits. Mr. Kelly also has defended several large ERISA cases on behalf of ERISA fiduciaries.

Although based in San Francisco, Mr. Kelly handles cases throughout California. He has litigated cases in other jurisdictions including actions in New York, Missouri, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Arkansas, Nevada, North Carolina and Hamilton, Bermuda.

Mr. Kelly also has a significant background in insurance and reinsurance. He formerly worked as a Claims Director in the Financial Institutions Department of American International Group (AIG) Insurance Company where he oversaw cases under E&O and D&O policies covering financial institutions as well as bad faith/extra-contractual claims against insurance companies. As an attorney he also handled two large reinsurance arbitrations.

Mr. Kelly’s past professional associations include: Liner Yankelevitz Sunshine & Regenstreif LLP, Los Angeles, CA from 2001-2006, where he was a partner in the San Francisco office; Zelle Hoffman Voelbel Mason & Gette LP San Francisco, CA from 1997-2001, where he was made a partner in 1999; American International Group (AIG) Insurance Company, New York, NY from 1993-1997; and Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, New York, NY from 1984-1993.


Dennis is a member of the Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), and the Professional Liability Underwriters Society (PLUS). Dennis put together a panel discussion, and served as its moderator, concerning securities broker errors and omissions issues at the PLUS Annual Conference in Palm Springs.


His reported decisions include: Browning Avenue Realty Corp. v. Rosenhein, 774 F. Supp. 129 (S.D.N.Y 1991) (RICO); Metro Furniture Rental, Inc. v. Allessie, 770 F. Supp. 198 (S.D.N.Y. 1991) (securities fraud); and Mazzone v. Stamler, Federal Securities Law Reports CCH ¶ 96, 070 (S.D.N.Y. 1991) (securities fraud).

Education

Dennis earned his law degree from New York Law School in 1984. At New York Law, he was a member of the Moot Court Board, was elected to the Order of Barristers – a national moot court organization – and represented the school in the Kaufman Moot Court Competition, a nationwide competition on securities law topics sponsored by Fordham University School of Law. In 1990 he received a Masters of Law (LLM) degree in corporate law from New York University School of Law.


Dennis is admitted to practice law in California, New York and New Jersey. He has been awarded Martindale Hubble’s highest rating, AV. Dennis has also been honored to be voted by the Bay Area legal community as a Northern California Super Lawyer.