James Michael Kelly

PRO

James Michael Kelly

4.2
Rating: 8.2

Licensed for 31 years

Workers compensation Lawyer at Peoria, IL
Practice Areas: Workers Compensation, Personal Injury, Litigation ... +5 more

7817 N. Knoxville Ave., Peoria, IL

Virtual Consultation Available

Free Consultation

About James

Biography

Practice Areas

8

Practice Areas

Personal Injury 25%

25 years

25%
Workers Compensation 25%

25 years

25%
Business 15%

15%
Litigation 15%

25 years

15%
Lawsuits and Disputes 10%

10%
Employment and Labor 5%

5%
Civil Rights 3%

3%
Family 2%

2%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 15 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 31 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 1994

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

Location

James Kelly Law Firm

7817 N. Knoxville Ave., Peoria, IL, 61614

jameskellylawfirm.com

James Kelly Law Firm

401 North Main Street, Edwardsville, IL, 62025-1902

jameskellylawfirm.com

James Michael Kelly's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.2 /5.0

5 Client Reviews

5 star (4)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (1)

Posted by Tom | February 13, 2024 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Divorce

I was referred to JKLF by Legalshield. I hired them to handle my divorce. Boyd Roberts along with his assistant Trudy went above and beyond my expectations. Trudy worked a lot of late hours drawing up paperwork and making sure everything was documented correctly. If she had a question she'd call ...me direct to verify. She's very respectful and a hard worker. Boyd is a no BS attorney but absolutely professional at the same time. He knows the law and uses it rather than getting angry and talking smack. We imposed sanctions 2 or 3 different times because my ex wife and her attorney were doing nothing to move it along. They weren't getting paperwork and documents to us that the judge ordered. We ended up settling outside of court, she agreed to a cash settlement and I kept my whole retirement account. Boyd and/or Trudy drew up the settlement agreement and still always promptly answered any questions i had. Boyd was always 2 steps ahead of her attorney thro the whole process even tho she filed the divorce. He was reasonable and fair, always knew what to expect and how to handle each situation. Thank you!

Posted by anonymous | May 16, 2013

Very pleased!

Mr. Kelly's ability to think outside the box is what sets him apart from the other attorneys I have met with.

Posted by Lori | April 17, 2013

One of the best I've ever hired

I am thoroughly impressed with Mr. Kelly's professionalism and willingness to fight for our interests. He is not your run-of-the-mill attorney. I highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for a competent, honest lawyer.

Posted by J.M. | April 16, 2013

Jim Kelly gets results!

Jim Kelly handled my claim promptly. He gave me realistic expectations for my case, and he delivered on his promises. I got the result I wanted, and I did not have to spend years waiting for it.

Posted by anonymous | October 28, 2025 | Consulted Attorney

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Bogus "Free" Consultation

In response to the "Free Consultation" claim, I called with the hope to be able to speak with Mr. Kelly or any attorney in his office, instead I was asked by a secretary to email all documents pertaining to my case, which I did (mistake). When I did not hear back a few days later, I inquired by emai...l and I immediately received a response that they are not interested in my case. Mr. Kelly may or may not be a good attorney, but he is deceptive about his claim to offer a free consultation. If you call that number you will not talk to him or any attorney. His scheme is to get you to send your documents and then he decides at his leisure if this is something that is lucrative for him or not without uttering a word.

See All Client Reviews

James Michael Kelly's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse James
Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Personal injury lawyer | Jun 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse James. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Thomas Lee Norman Jr. headshot
Thomas Norman

Workers compensation lawyer | Apr 22

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Jim is as knowledgeable and well-versed in Workers' Compensation as any attorney you will ever meet. Furthermore, he keeps an incredible grasp on all of his files and knows precisely how to handle each situation."

View All Endorsements

No Endorsement Data Available Yet
This attorney hasn't created any attorney endorsements recently on Avvo.

Experience

Rating:  8.2 (Excellent)

Honors

2025

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2024

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2023

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2016

Best Attorneys of America Lifetime Charter Member, Rue Ratings

Work Experience

2002 - Present

Managing Partner, James Kelly Law Firm

Associations

2012 - Present

Mid-West Truckers Association

1994 - Present

Illinois State Bar Association

1994 - Present

DRI

1994 - Present

American Bar Association

1994 - Present

Peoria County Bar Association

Education

1994

Creighton University School of Law

Juris Doctor

1991

Providence College

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2015

“Omnia Praesumuntur Contra Spoliatorem”

Spoliation

Publications

2008

Illinois Movers' Association A Lawyer's Perspective: Win Claims

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution