Hon. Daniel J. Kelley, (Ret.)
IllinoisNeutral AvailabilityHon. Daniel J. Kelley, (Ret.) is well known for his calm, intelligent approach to mediation and arbitration. For more than 26 years, Judge Kelley has applied his legal knowledge and ability to settle hundreds of cases. He is an approved mediator for the Circuit Court of Cook County Court-Annexed Major Case Civil Mediation Program. Additionally, Judge Kelley has extensive experience in arbitrations, both as a sole arbitrator and as the third arbitrator in tri-panel arbitrations.
Since retiring from the bench in 2008, Judge Kelley has been a senior mediator and arbitrator at ADR Systems where he has achieved a notably high settlement rate in complex, multi-party disputes. He has recorded more than $47 million in settlements in his last 100 settled mediations. Judge Kelley maintains a limited law practice at the Law Offices of Daniel J. Kelley. In 2011, 2012 and 2013, Judge Kelley was recognized by his peers for his skills as a mediator and arbitrator in Commercial and Personal Injury cases and was named to the Leading Lawyers Network. Judge Kelley is also a certified judicial mentor.
Types of Cases Resolved
- Accounting Malpractice
- Auto Liability
- Bad Faith
- Cannabis
- Condominium Board Dispute
- Construction
- Construction Defect
- Contract
- Employment
- Estates
- Fiduciary Duty
- Fraud
- Insurance Coverage
- Legal Malpractice
- Mechanics Lien
- Medical Malpractice
- Non-Compete
- Nursing Home
- Partnership Dispute
- Personal Injury
- Probate
- Product Liability
- Professional Malpractice
- Property Damage
- Re-Insurance
- Real Estate
- Securities
- Subrogation
- Toxic Tort
- Trusts
- Wrongful Termination
ADR Experience and Qualifications
- Since joining ADR Systems in 2008, Judge Kelley has served as a full-time senior mediator and arbitrator
- More than 30 years of ADR and litigation experience, including the successful resolution of highly contentious, multi-million dollar disputes
- 23-year judicial career as a Judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, focused on commercial, civil, criminal and municipal litigation and case resolution
- While in the Law Division’s Jury and Commercial Litigation sections, Judge Kelley conducted numerous settlement conferences with a 90% settlement rate
Representative Cases
- $4.6 million case involving complex insurance issues
- $3.5 million medical malpractice case
- $3 million personal injury case
- $4 million admiralty law matter
- Multi-million dollar settlements in industrial accident cases
Professional Activities and Awards
- Leading Lawyers Network
- Member, American College of Business Court Judges
- Member, Illinois Judges Association
- American Enterprise Institute (AEI)-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, Continuing Judicial Education Programs: “Economic Institute for Judges,” “Critical Issues in Toxic Tort Litigation,” “Second Annual Symposium on Critical Issues in Construction Defects Litigation,” “Insurance and Risk Allocation in America – Law and Regulation”
- Advanced Science and Technology Resource Judge Program (ASTAR) “Language of Life Sciences Boot Camp”, The Ohio State University, ASTAR
- Advanced Science and Technology Resource Judge Program (ASTAR) “Neuroscience and Bio-Behavior Technologies,” Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, ASTAR
Education
- J.D., John Marshall Law School
- M.A., University of Akron
- B.A., John Carroll University
Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- Illinois Supreme Court
- Illinois State Bar
Disclosure
I was a sitting judge for over 24 years, have practiced law and have been a mediator and arbitrator since 2008. Many attorneys have tried cases in my courtrooms or mediated or arbitrated a case with me.
The disclosures listed above will not affect my neutrality in this dispute.
