Kelly D.
Van Aken

Kelly brings her innovative problem-solving skills, sound judgment, and strong ability to advocate to every matter she handles.  Kelly focuses her practice on residential landlord-tenant, personal injury, and sexual abuse litigation.

Kelly represents tenants in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area in a wide variety of matters, including affirmative lawsuits against landlords for uninhabitable conditions, tenant harassment, and wrongful eviction.  Kelly also represents individuals who have been injured because of another’s carelessness.  She has successfully handled cases involving serious personal injuries resulting from car accidents, bike accidents, truck accidents, and slip and falls due to the negligence or intentional conduct of another.  Kelly also represents survivors of sexual abuse and assault and has experience working on a wide range of sexual abuse matters, from highly publicized cases and multi-million-dollar exposure to cases in tandem with criminal investigations.  Kelly has a proven track record of success in both settling and trying cases in court.

Before founding Kellogg & Van Aken LLP, Kelly practiced as a trial attorney at a prominent defense firm in San Francisco where she represented energy companies, automotive and consumer product manufacturers, and pharmaceutical and medical device companies in mass tort and high stakes personal injury matters. There, Kelly handled all phases of litigation, including case strategy, discovery and depositions, motion practice, mediation, expert discovery, and trial.

Kelly earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara and her juris doctorate degree from UC Davis School of Law.  During college, Kelly served as captain and lead attorney of the UCSB Mock Trial Team.  In law school, Kelly served on the Trial Practice Honors Board, as captain and lead attorney of the National Mock Trial Team, competed in Moot Court, and served as the Chair of the law school’s Moot Court Board.  She also was one of ten students in her graduating class selected for membership in The Order of Barristers, a national honor society that recognizes excellence in oral and trial advocacy skills.

When she is not practicing law, Kelly likes to spend time with her family.  She also volunteers her time with the San Francisco Tenants Union.