About Bob
Bob Kelley earned his law degree from Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University in 1981 after completing a bachelor’s degree in physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University in 1977. Those studies anchored an analytical approach he brought into the courtroom. He began his legal career the year he graduated from law school and has maintained steady involvement in Florida’s legal community since.
He is admitted to practice in Florida and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. His federal admissions include the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and other U.S. district courts. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. His bar membership in Florida has been continuous since 1981.
Kelley joined Kelley/Uustal as a lawyer in 2000. Over time his work at the firm has centered on civil trials. He is board certified as a civil trial lawyer by The Florida Bar, a credential that recognizes specialized trial experience under state rules. That certification is an important credential for litigators who handle contested civil matters in state and federal courts.
Outside of his firm work, he has kept active in professional associations for decades. He has belonged to the Florida Bar, the Florida Justice Association and the American Association for Justice since the early 1980s. He has been a member of the Broward County Bar Association and the Broward County Justice Association since 1981. He served as president of the Broward County Justice Association from 2000 to 2001. He also maintains a membership in the Lawyers Information Exchange Group, which he joined in 1997. Those roles reflect long-term engagement with local and statewide legal organizations.
His background in physics and astronomy is an uncommon starting point for a trial lawyer. It informs how he approaches technical evidence and explains complex material to juries and judges. At Kelley/Uustal he handles civil trial work in state and federal courts and continues to represent clients in contested civil litigation. His current practice focuses on civil trials in Florida and in federal courts where he is admitted to practice.
