
Kelley W. Lavery
Biography
Kelley W. Lavery is a Partner at Levinson Axelrod, P.A., where he leverages his experience as a former Criminal Prosecutor and Civil Defense Attorney to help injured victims and families across New Jersey navigate personal injury cases involving complex litigation and the need for extensive investigation.
Kelley’s areas of practice include motor vehicle accidents, drunk driving collisions, workplace accidents, municipal liability, insurance coverage disputes, serious injuries, construction accident injury cases, premises liability cases (slip/trip and falls), nursing home negligence, and wrongful death, among others.
Education & Legal Experience
Kelley received his B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Iowa in 2001, and his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the New England School of Law in 2005. While in law school, he worked for a law firm and served as a student intern with Shelter Legal Services, where he represented women at a local homeless shelter.
Following law school, Mr. Lavery became an Assistant Prosecutor with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and continued that role at the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. While working for the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Mr. Lavery went from the trial team to the head of the Vehicular Homicide, Arson, and Environmental Unit. In this role, he oversaw investigations and prosecutions of fatal motor vehicle crashes, significant arsons, and environmental actions. He also served as the Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Unit, where he supervised high-profile investigations including homicides and police involved shootings.
Mr. Lavery ultimately left his role as a Prosecutor to enter private practice, working in the general litigation department of a firm defending clients in civil lawsuits, and assisting other attorneys with complex insurance coverage disputes, contractual ligation, and various personal injury actions.
Motivated by a desire to represent injured and wronged parties seeking redress, he focused his practice on plaintiff advocacy and personal injury law. Over his career, he has tried numerous cases to successful verdict.
Passionate Advocacy. Proven Results.
As an Attorney at Levinson Axelrod, Kelley is able to draw from his unique insight and experience when fighting for injured victims whose futures often depend on their ability to recover full and fair compensation. His background is of particular benefit to clients with complex claims necessitating meticulous investigation and complex litigation.
Mr. Lavery is licensed to practice in New Jersey, New York, and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. He was formerly a New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Criminal Trial Attorney, a distinction held by a very small percentage of attorneys practicing in the state. Mr. Lavery’s focus is now on fighting for injured victims seeking redress for those harms visited upon them.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Click here to learn more about the referenced awards and accolades. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
- $575,000 Settlement secured for a Middlesex County resident who slipped on black ice while walking her dog in the parking lot of the apartment complex where she rented. Our client suffered a concussion and injuries to her neck. Client was recommended to undergo surgery to her neck.
- $700,000 Settlement recovered during mediation for a 17-year-old Flemington girl who suffered a right knee tibial fracture due to her Hunterdon County employer suggesting she climb an internal wall to unlock an office door. Plaintiff underwent surgical repair of the knee and missed portions of her high school year.
- $800,000 Settlement recovered during mediation for a 26-year-old Trenton resident who was injured while riding in an Uber in Mercer County. Our client suffered a herniation in his lumbar spine and thoracic spine. He also had a tear in his right knee and right shoulder impingement. He received pain management procedures including injections and was recommended for surgery to his lumbar spine.
- $987,000 Settlement secured after three days of trial in Middlesex County. Our Ocean County client suffered bilateral ankle fractures because of the public parking facility not repairing depressions in a parking garage in Jersey City.
- $1,175,000 Settlement recovered for Pennsylvania man who was hit by a commercial tractor-trailer while operating a New Jersey Department of Transport vehicle on Interstate 80 in Warren County. Our client suffered an injury to his lower back that required injections and ultimately a sacroiliac fusion.
- $1,500,000 Settlement recovered for Morris County man injured by dump truck driven by landscaping county during car crash that occurred on Route 15 in Morris County. Client suffered serious cervical injuries that required surgical intervention. Through rigorous discovery, Kelley was able to establish that the landscaping company had substandard safety procedures and employed a driver with a poor driving history. These facts allowed Kelley to increase the value of the recovery for the client.