Steven J. Kelly is a trial attorney who focuses primarily on representing business and individuals in complex disputes pending in state and federal courts in Maryland and throughout the country. In addition, Steve devotes a substantial portion of his practice to defending the rights of victims of crime in criminal proceedings and to representing victims of crime and accidental injuries. Steve has represented child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation, assault victims, rape victims and families of homicide survivors in criminal proceedings and in civil suits against offenders and third parties.
Steve became involved in the victims' rights movement after his older sister was murdered in 1988. He is one of a handful of lawyers across the country with experience in the interplay between crime victims' rights in civil and criminal proceedings. He is a nationally-recognized attorney on restitution and victim compensation. Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley appointed Steve as a Commissioner to the Maryland Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in 2009. Steve also is an active member of the National Association of Victims' Rights Attorneys (NAVRA), the American Bar Association's Committee on Victims, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and he serves on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center.
Steve was recognized with the Miles & Stockbridge Pro Bono Award in 2009 for his substantial pro bono efforts on behalf of victims of crime, he was recognized for more than twenty years of service to crime victims with the Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center's Voice for Victims Award in 2008. He also received the Governor's Award for Service to Crime Victims in 2000.
Prior to joining Miles & Stockbridge, Steve was a law clerk to the Honorable Richard D. Bennett of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and he was an associate with DLA Piper (U.S.).
Before attending law school, Steve helped start a first-of-its kind legal services program providing legal assistance to low-income victims of crime. In that capacity, he matched hundreds of crime victims with pro bono attorneys, trained prosecutors and law enforcement on victim sensitivity and victims' rights law and recruited and trained a panel of pro bono lawyers to represent crime victims in the criminal process. Steve also helped to lobby the United States Congress to pass what eventually became the Crime Victims' Rights Act of 1996 and he helped lobby the Maryland General Assembly for numerous measures concerning victims' rights.
Credentials
Commissioner, Maryland Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (2009-present)
Governor's Award for Service to Crime Victims (2000-present)
Law Clerk, Honorable Richard D. Bennett, United States District Judge, United States District Court for the District of Maryland (2004-2005)
Maryland Super Lawyers® - Rising Stars Edition: Selected for inclusion in the area of General Litigation, Civil Rights/First Amendment (2010-2012)
Miles & Stockbridge Pro Bono Award (2009)
Permanent Member, Conference of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (2009-present)
The Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center: Board of Directors (2000-present)
Voice for Victims Award presented by Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center (2008)
Speaking Engagements
"Child-Victims: Providing Effective Rights Enforcement Representation," National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (Presenter) (August 1-2, 2012).
