Bio

Kelley Barnett is a Trial Lawyer and Partner at Frantz Ward LLP in Cleveland, Ohio. Kelley’s practice focuses on product liability and toxic tort matters for global manufacturers and suppliers worldwide in disputes which often involve catastrophic incidents, fatalities, explosions and fires. She is a key member of several national coordinating counsel teams in the areas of toxic tort and traditional product liability matters. Kelley also has significant experience handling trade secret and unfair competition, contract, and a variety of other commercial litigation matters for small businesses and Fortune 500 companies all across the United States. Kelley is licensed in Ohio and Michigan and has tried nearly one-hundred cases to verdict as first-chair in state and federal court but counsels clients at all stages of disputes, including litigation avoidance. Kelley has also handled numerous appeals in various state appellate courts, the Ohio Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Kelley also conducts internal corporate investigations into allegations of employee misconduct, fraud, compliance issues, and criminal misconduct. She is OSHA certified and counsels clients on a wide range of OSHA issues including training, compliance, and safety and accident investigations.

Prior to joining Frantz Ward in 2007, Kelley was an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio. As a member of the elite Major Trial Unit, Kelley handled and first-chaired rape, homicide and other high profile trials.

Kelley graduated from Michigan State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, graduating with High Honors and becoming a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Kelley graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1999, where she is currently an adjunct professor.

Kelley's additional professional affiliations include:

Ohio Women’s Bar Association - Member
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel - Member (2017-Present)
American Bar Association, Litigation Section—Member
American Bar Association, Litigation Journal—Editorial Board, Associate Editor (2014-2016), Executive Editor (2016-2017)
Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Litigation Section—Member
Case Western Reserve University School of Law—Adjunct Professor
ALFA International Global Legal Network—Product Liability & Complex Torts Steering Committee
Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys—Member

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center—Board of Directors (2016-Present)
Lakewood Citizens Advisory Committee—Committee Member and Co-Chair (2008-2010)
Lakewood YMCA Advisory Board—Board Member (2012)
The Littlest Heroes—Board Member (2013)

Finally, Kelley is a frequent speaker on a variety of issues. Some of Kelley's more recent speaking engagements include:

“What is the Jury Thinking About?,” Moderator, Frantz Ward Litigation Panel Series, Cleveland, OH (November 2017)
"Attorney-Client Privilege Issues," Association of Corporate Counsel, Cleveland, OH (June 2017)
“Best Practices for Preparing and Enforcing Restrictive Covenants,” St. Louis, MO (May 2017)
“Caution! Slippery Terrain and Wild Animals Ahead (Workplace Safety),” Frantz Ward Labor and Employment Law Seminar, Cleveland, OH (May 2017)
"Product Recalls in the 21st Century: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” Moderator, ALFA International – International Client Seminar, Aventura, FL (March 2017)
“Corporate Investigations – An Instant Replay of (Potentially) Illegal Procedures,” Frantz Ward Litigation Panel Series, Cleveland, OH (October 2016)
“Maintaining the Corporate Privilege,” Nidec Americas Product Safety Conference, St. Louis, MO (September 2015)
“Effective Internal Investigations: From Workplace Harassment to Criminal Conduct to Everything in Between,” The Ohio Manufacturers Association, Cleveland, OH (July 2015)
“Conducting Investigations in the Workplace,” Frantz Ward 2015 Labor and Employment Law Seminar, Cleveland, OH (May 2015)
“Conducting Effective Internal Investigations in the U.S. and Abroad,” Northeast Ohio Association of Corporate Counsel, Cleveland, OH (March 2015)
“Conducting Effective Internal Corporate Investigations,” Crain’s Cleveland Business, Cleveland, OH (December 2014)

Kelley J. Barnett

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