Name: Nate Kelly, Esq.
Item: Nate Kelly, Esq.
Author: Nate Kelly

Bio

Nate Kelly founded the Law Offices of Nate Kelly in 2010 with a straightforward premise: that the clients who need a litigator most deserve one who is actually prepared to try the case.

His practice focuses on three categories of dispute — high-stakes commercial litigation, business breakups, and corporate governance fights — and he has built one of California's most recognized records in all three. He is the only attorney clients work with.

Mr. Kelly prepares every case as if it is going to trial. The results reflect that approach.

In 2025 and 2026 alone, he obtained a $7,418,642 judgment — confirmed by the Superior Court of California, County of Orange — on claims of breach of fiduciary duty and trade secret misappropriation against a co-founder who secretly formed a competing entity, took all company assets, and solicited existing customers while still serving as a manager of the original business. The arbitrator found willful and malicious conduct by clear and convincing evidence. The award included $5 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in exemplary damages.

In the same period, he obtained a judgment after bench trial in Alameda County Superior Court dismissing with prejudice a hostile takeover complaint on all causes of action under Code of Civil Procedure § 631.8. He secured a $3.5 million minority shareholder buyout following 16 months of contentious litigation. He defeated a breach of contract appeal in full, with costs and attorneys' fees awarded to his client. And he represented a defendant in a property partition bench trial that resulted in the client receiving 76% of $1,530,000 in sale proceeds.

Across his practice, Mr. Kelly has resolved over $200 million in business disputes — in California state and federal courts, AAA and JAMS arbitration, and the Ninth Circuit.

His litigation philosophy is simple: the other side settles when they believe you are prepared to win at trial. Most cases never get there. But the ones that do require a litigator who has been preparing from day one as if they will.

Mr. Kelly is admitted to all California state and federal courts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and federal courts in Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington D.C. He maintains offices in San Francisco, Beverly Hills, and Laguna Beach.

He is also recognized as a dual Super Lawyers honoree for Business Litigation in both Northern and Southern California — the only attorney to appear on both regional lists in 2025 — and holds an Avvo rating of 10.0.

J.D., USC Gould School of Law — High Honors, Merit Scholarship
B.A., University of Maryland — Dean's Scholar, cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

When a dispute stands between you and everything you've built, you don't need a lawyer who's good at paperwork. You need one who's good at winning.

Nate Kelly, Esq.

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