About Kristi Cahoon
Kristi Cahoon Kelly earned her law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law in 2006 after completing a bachelor’s degree at Dickinson College in 2003. She moved into legal practice shortly after law school and began work in public interest law that same decade.
Her earliest listed post was with Legal Services of Northern Virginia in 2007, where she handled housing and consumer matters for low-income clients. Those cases involved tenant‑landlord disputes, eviction defense and consumer complaints. The daily exposure to courtroom work and client advocacy in that setting helped shape the practical side of her legal approach.
In 2010 she joined Surovell Isaacs Petersen & Levy, PLC as a partner. There she expanded the scope of her litigation practice and took on a heavier trial docket. The move marked a transition from nonprofit advocacy into private practice while continuing to pursue consumer protection and housing claims on behalf of individuals.
Four years later, in 2014, she became a partner at Kelly Guzzo, PLC. At that firm she continued to litigate cases for consumers and tenants. She appears in state and federal courts and handles matters that touch on debt collection, credit reporting, and habitability disputes between tenants and landlords.
Kelly is admitted to practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia. She is active in several professional groups. Current memberships include the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, the Fairfax Bar Association, the Northern Virginia Women’s Lawyer Association and the National Association of Consumer Advocates. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, a role that connects her practice to broader policy and access‑to‑justice issues.
Colleagues describe her work as grounded and practical. Her background in legal services and later years in private practice give her a mix of courtroom experience and familiarity with the procedural mechanics of consumer litigation. She prepares cases for trial, negotiates settlements and represents clients at hearings.
She practices at Kelly Guzzo PLC and continues to represent clients in consumer protection and housing matters.
