The Legal 500 announced the creation of its Hall of Fame, which “highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence . . . and who are at the pinnacle of the profession.” Starting with the United States, the criteria for entry is to have been recognized by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers in a practice area for six consecutive years.

Only 11 trademark lawyers were recognized in the categories of either trademark litigation or trademark non-contentious. Dave Kelly was the only lawyer in the country named to the Legal 500 Hall of Fame in both trademark categories. Dave earned this honor by being named as an elite leading lawyer by The Legal 500 in both trademark practice areas for nine consecutive years.

Stephanie Bald, a co-founder and partner of Kelly IP, said, “Dave is a brilliant legal strategist and advocate, with a common sense, no-nonsense approach to the practice of trademark law. His advice is driven by marketplace and business realities, not detached legal theories. And his care and attention to clients’ needs and interests is nothing less than obsessive. Dave is the problem-solver in chief, and clients love him because he is adept at quickly navigating and resolving complex legal issues, so the business can get back to work. The firm is thrilled by Dave’s induction into The Legal 500 Hall of Fame. There is no one more deserving.”

The Legal 500 is an independent guide that ranks law firms and individual lawyers around the world. It conducts comprehensive research and analysis, and it recommends law firms and lawyers purely on merit based on interviews with clients and peers. The Legal 500’s inaugural Hall of Fame for United States lawyers is available at https://www.legal500.com/hall-of-fame.