James P. Kelly is an Equity and founding member of Franks and Kelly P.C., Attorneys at Law and is admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, trial bar, and the U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit.

Before attending law school, Mr. Kelly served as a United States Army Officer for 12 years.

As a McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney, he served as a Senior Litigation Attorney in the Civil Division for over 8 years. In that role, Mr. Kelly represented the McHenry County Board, McHenry County Sheriff, McHenry County Recorder of Deeds, McHenry County Clerk, McHenry County Planning and Development Department, McHenry County Transportation Department, and McHenry County Clerk. He advised the McHenry County Board on land use issues, contract approval, negotiation of complex contracts, approval of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), personnel policies, FOIA and OMA compliance, government financing and bond approval, budget and levy approval, and parliamentary procedures and acted as the Board Parliamentarian. In addition, he represented the County in State and Federal Court on cases ranging from land use and zoning cases to defending the County in civil rights (§1983) cases. Attorney Kelly possesses extensive experience in complex litigation and Bankruptcy matters.

In private practice he represents, individuals, corporations, municipalities and townships in litigation, as well as corporate and personal matters. He has represented individuals in divorces, criminal cases, juvenile court, probate and guardianship matters, corporate organization, bankruptcy, zoning issues, real estate transactions, and wills and trust matters. As corporate counsel, Attorney Kelly has advised local governments and businesses on a wide range of issues including land acquisition, financing, employee policies, and contracting. He has represented corporate entities before various administrative agencies, including the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, EEOC, Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois Department of Labor, and Property Tax Board of Appeals. Attorney Kelly has extensive experience in representing townships and township road districts in complex litigation concerning land use, civil rights defense, retaliatory discharge, personal injury and breach of contract matters.