Michelle Kelley

Michelle Parsons Kelley is a Shareholder, practicing in the Richardson Plowden Columbia office. She focuses her practice on general litigation and appellate practice. Her experience includes premises liability, personal injury, products liability, transportation, dram shop, and government entity defense litigation. 

Ms. Kelley’s experience includes:

• Former Assistant Attorney General for the State of South Carolina, prosecuting insurance fraud, direct criminal appeals and post-conviction relief 
• Presenting oral arguments to the South Carolina Supreme Court and South Carolina Court of Appeals 
• Presenting a multitude of post-conviction relief hearings before South Carolina circuit courts 
• Clerking for the South Carolina Court of Appeals, South Carolina Senate, and Office of the Governor

During law school, Kelley served as the Teaching Assistant for Judge C. Tolbert Goolsby, Jr.’s undergraduate course “Introduction to Legal Method.” Kelley also served as an associate editor and contributing author of the South Carolina Journal of International Law & Business. Additionally, she studied transnational dispute resolution at Gray’s Inn in London.

Pro Bono/Community Involvement

• South Carolina Federal Credit Union: Volunteer Advisor 
• State Workforce Development Board: Governor Appointed Board Member: 2013-2019
• South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce Review Committee: Governor Appointed Committee Member: 2016-2018
• University of South Carolina My Carolina University Awards Committee: Prior Member
• South Carolina Commission on Women: Governor Appointed Commissioner 2010-13; Chair 2012-13
• South Carolina Bar Cinderella Project: 2008-14; Midlands Chair 2010-12; State Chair 2012-14
• American Mensa: Prior Member
• Columbia Capital Rotary Club 2009-2015
• The Junior League of Columbia: Public Affairs Team 2010-2015

Awards, Honors, and Accolades

• University of South Carolina My Alumni’s Outstanding Young Alumni of the Year 2015
• The State Newspaper’s 20 Under 40 “Young Professionals Helping to Build the Midlands” 2016
• Columbia Business Monthly’s Best & Brightest Under 35 2016
• 2012- 2013 University of South Carolina Face of “Y’ALL” (Young Alumni Leaving a Legacy (Elected by fellow alumni for a one-year term)
• Super Lawyers Rising Star Recipient 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
• Midland Legal Elite 2015    
• South Carolina Bar Young Lawyer’s Division Star of the Quarter 2012-2013 & 2011-2012 (In recognition for work with the Cinderella Project)