About Kelly R
Kelly R McNeal built a foundation in psychology before turning to law. She earned a B.S. in Psychology and Criminology from the University of Florida in 1998 and an M.S. in Experimental Psychology (Cognitive and Developmental Psychology) from the University of Kentucky in 2001. She returned to the University of Florida for law school and received her J.D. in 2005. Her academic background spans behavioral science and legal training.
Her early work placed her inside the courthouse. In 2001 she served as a court analyst for the Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida, gaining familiarity with courtroom procedures and case processing. After law school she joined the Law Office of Jack M. Ross, P.A. as an associate in 2005. Over the next several years she moved into firm leadership, becoming a managing partner in a succession of firms: McNeal & Saini, P.L. in 2008, McNeal & Yochim, P.L. in 2009, and founding or leading McNeal Legal, LLC as managing partner from 2013 onward.
McNeal has also been active in local and national professional organizations since the mid-2000s. She holds membership in the James C. Adkins American Inns of Court as a barrister, the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity. She joined Alachua County Emerging Leaders in 2006. Inside the Eighth Judicial Circuit Young Lawyers Division she served as director from 2006 to 2008 and as president from 2008 to 2010. Those roles put her in regular contact with judges, court staff and other lawyers, and they helped shape her approach to managing a practice.
Her dual training in psychology and law informs how she approaches matters. The psychology degrees contribute an awareness of cognitive and developmental factors that can be relevant in client interviews, witness preparation and evaluation of evidence. Years of practice and firm management have added administrative experience and a practical sense for how cases move through the system. She is licensed to practice in Florida and has maintained active involvement in the legal community since 2006.
McNeal continues to lead McNeal Legal, LLC in Florida and manages the firm's operations and caseload. She maintains an active practice in Florida through McNeal Legal, LLC.
