Overall Rating
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.
4.9 /5.0
32 Client Reviews
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Nate Kelly
also known as Nathaniel Greenberg Kelly
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About Nate
Biography
Nate Kelly represents companies, founders, shareholders, and boards in the disputes that define the future of their business — high-stakes litigation, business breakups, and corporate governance disputes across California.
Since founding the Law Offices of Nate Kelly in 2010, Mr. Kelly has built one of California’s most recognized litigation practices. He is the only attorney clients work with.
His practice centers on three areas:
• High-Stakes Litigation — bet-the-company commercial disputes, trade secret misappropriation, business fraud, and complex breach of contract matters
• Business Breakups — founder disputes, forced buyouts, equity contests, and partnership dissolutions
• Corporate Governance Disputes — breach of fiduciary duty, derivative actions, shareholder rights enforcement, and hostile takeover defense
Selected results: $7.4M AAA arbitration award (breach of fiduciary duty and trade secret misappropriation); $3.5M minority shareholder buyout; $1.5M corporate dissolution; appellate court victory with costs and fees awarded to client; judgment after bench trial defeating hostile takeover; over $200M resolved across disputes in the last decade.
Recognition:
• Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators® in America — top 0.5% of business litigators nationally
• Super Lawyers, Business Litigation — Northern California 2024–2026, Southern California 2025–2026. The only attorney to appear on both regional Business Litigation lists in 2025.
• Avvo Rating 10.0 — “Superb”
• Rising Star, Northern and Southern California, 2016–2022
Mr. Kelly maintains offices in San Francisco, Beverly Hills, and Laguna Beach. He is admitted to all California state and federal courts, the Ninth Circuit, and courts in Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington D.C.
J.D., USC Gould School of Law — High Honors, Merit Scholarship
B.A., University of Maryland — Dean’s Scholar, cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
When a dispute stands between you and everything you’ve built, you don’t need a lawyer who’s good at paperwork. You need one who’s good at winning.
Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigator® representing clients in high-stakes litigation, business breakups, and governance disputes across California. Over $200M resolved. Dual Super Lawyers honoree, Northern & Southern California.
Nate Kelly prepares every case as if it's going to trial — even the ones that settle. He has obtained a $7.4M AAA arbitration award, defended a hostile takeover at trial, and won on appeal. He is built to win the disputes that matter most.
Bet-the-Company Disputes. Complex Commercial Transactions. Breakthrough Outcomes. We advise businesses on mission-critical decisions, protect equity and intellectual property, and negotiate successful resolutions to high-stakes disputes and transactions.
Representing clients in high-stakes breach of contract disputes — from UCC matters and licensing agreements to earn-out disputes and post-acquisition claims.
Appellate briefing and argument in California state courts. Recent result: breach of contract appeal defeated in full, with costs and attorneys' fees awarded to client.
Experienced in commercial arbitration, including a $7.4M final award in a breach of fiduciary duty and trade secret misappropriation matter. Every arbitration is prepared for the same way as trial — completely.
Representing clients in bet-the-company commercial disputes, business breakups, and corporate governance fights across California state and federal courts, including the Ninth Circuit.
Practice Areas
6
Practice Areas
Litigation
35%
16 years | 211 cases
Lawsuits and Disputes
25%
17 years | 211 cases
Business
20%
17 years | 228 cases
Arbitration
10%
10 years | 38 cases
Fees and Rates
Cost
Hourly Rates
$ 685-895 per hour
Retainer
Sometimes
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
Licenses
Licensed in California for 17 years
State: California
Acquired: 2009
No misconduct found
Location
Law Offices of Nate Kelly
(310) 228-6216
Fax
9100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 725E, Beverly Hills, CA, 90212
natekelly.com/Gallery
Online Presence
Other places you can find Nate online.
Nate Kelly's Reviews
Filter Avvo Reviews (31)
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Practice Areas
Business (16)
Contracts & Agreements (9)
Lawsuits & Disputes (6)
Intellectual Property (4)
Corporate & Incorporation (3)
Employment & Labor (2)
Partnership (2)
Real Estate (2)
Debt Settlement (1)
Entertainment (1)
Landlord & Tenant (1)
Limited Liability Company (LLC) (1)
Mergers & Acquisitions (1)
Tax (1)
Showing 21 - 25 of 31 reviews
Posted by anonymous | December 01, 2014 | Business
Review for Nathaniel Greenberg Kelly
I would highly recommend Nathaniel (Nate). He is extremely knowledgeable and I know I can turn to him to learn the best way to handle legal matters for my company. For instance, I was recently considering legal action against a contractor and Nate helped me understand the pros/cons of various optio...
Posted by Ish | November 29, 2014 | Business
Wonderful Experience. Understands salient points.
I have hired Nate Kelly to provide legal advice to myself and my partners on investment projects. He is the consummate professional, and has a vast knowledge base in corporate law. In addition, Nate tries to develop a strong understanding of the business objectives of his clients -- including the so ...
Posted by anonymous | May 08, 2014
Honorable!
It has been a great advantage to have received legal advice from Nathaniel Kelly. The first reason is because of the quality of his legal advice: its excellent! The second reason is because Nathaniel Kelly is a shark; he consistently brings me justice offering wise advice to resolve the issue. On...
Posted by Sarah | May 07, 2014
Highly recommended
Nathaniel is a great lawyer. It was the first time I needed legal services, and he walked me through the whole process being knowledgeable, resourceful, and supportive. He explains the different options and possible results very clearly. He is smart, patient and aggressive at the same time, so we got...
Posted by Bryan | May 01, 2014 | Employment & Labor
Very trustworthy, dependable and helpful!
Nathaniel Kelly came highly recommended to me by a close friend when I was having an issue with my former job. From the get go, Mr. Kelly was extremely helpful. He gave me his full attention when I explained the situation then he clearly discussed my options. Once we decided on a course of action tha...
Nate Kelly's Lawyer Endorsements
"Nate is a rising star -- few have his communication abilities and his talent. I highly recommend him."
"Nate is a fantastic attorney to whom I have referred clients in the past for various matters. Each such client has been pleased with Nate's hard work, dedication, and insight."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I have worked with Mr. Kelly on several occasions and am amazed by his knowledge of intellectual property, contract and business law. Mr. Kelly has a unique ability to handle complex business issues and has been particularly helpful when advising start-up companies."
"It has been a pleasure working with Nate. He is professional, hardworking, and very knowledgeable in the areas of IP law and securities. He has been and continues to be a great mentor and teacher, and he is a strong advocate for his clients."
"Nate is a bright, energetic and highly knowledgable attorney. I regularly refer business clients to him and am glad to have him as a resource."
"I have known Nate for many years. He is a smart and capable attorney who is passionate about his work. He strives to achieve the best results for his clients. I endorse Nate highly."
"When you find yourself in need of a litigation attorney it is important to retain a lawyer who is competent, knowledgeable and tenacious. Mr. Kelly is well respected in the legal community for those reasons."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I have worked on a couple matters with Nathaniel and was professional, knowledgeable and proved to give great counsel. I highly recommend him."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer. I have worked with Nate on a few cases and have found him to be professional, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with."
"I worked with Attorney Kelly on a lawsuit involving difficult circumstances. I was impressed by his desire to go to great lengths to provide client satisfaction, even under tough circumstances. He clearly has a lot of heart and wants to do a great job for clients. He showed he really cares about clients, and is creative in finding ways to help. I enjoyed working with him and believe that clients will as well."
"I worked with Mr. Kelly analyzing a complicated copyright infringement litigation matter involving a litigious corporation and a blockbuster film. His attention to detail and razor sharp analytical skills streamlined our litigation strategy. I would recommend Mr. Kelly to anyone seeking a top notch attorney who can understand the complex issues attendant to high-stakes litigation."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"Nate is a hardworking, very intelligent attorney. He handles a wide variety of cases, and does them well. I fully endorse him."
"I endorse the work Mr. Kelly performed preparing a contract. The contract was an international distribution agreement with exclusivity terms. He performed the work in a timely manner, and took into account many of the unique needs of my client's business."
"I endorse this lawyer. Nathaniel is exceptionally bright, a wonderful person to work alongside, and a consumate pragmatist. These characteristics combine to make him a stellar attorney."
"Nate is an intelligent and creative attorney. I highly recommend Nate to anyone seeking both an effective and personable attorney."
Jonathan Vivona
Bankruptcy and debt lawyer
Elan Raffel
Litigation lawyer
Daniel Wayne
Landlord or tenant lawyer
Michael Coleman
Appeals lawyer
Daniel Perlman
DUI and DWI lawyer
Jeffrey Stivers
Family lawyer
Anoush Hakimi
Real estate lawyer
Aaron Aftergood
Contracts and agreements lawyer
Kenneth Kronstadt
Litigation lawyer
Timothy Owen
Litigation lawyer
Todd Friedland
Intellectual property lawyer
R.J. Manuelian
Criminal defense lawyer
Rabeh Soofi
Litigation lawyer
Adam Gauthier
Estate planning lawyer
Jonathan Kashani
Personal injury lawyer
Cambria Lisonbee
Criminal defense lawyer
Joel Farar
Slip and fall accident lawyer
Diana Friedland
Employment and labor lawyer
Jack Siegel
Litigation lawyer
Joshua Upin
Real estate lawyer
Experience
Honors
2026
Avvo Rating 10.0 — Superb, Avvo
2026
America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators, America’s Top 100
2026
Super Lawyer, Southern California Super Lawyers
2025
America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators, America’s Top 100
2025
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2022
Rising Star, Southern California Super Lawyers
2022
Rising Star, Northern California Super Lawyers
2021
Rising Star, Northern California, SuperLawyers
2021
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2021
Rising Star, Southern California, Super Lawyers
2020
Rising Star, Southern California, Super Lawyers
2020
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2019
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2019
Rising Star, Southern California, Super Lawyers Magazine
2018
Rising Star, Northern California, Super Lawyers
2018
Rising Star, Southern California, Super Lawyers
2018
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2017
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2017
Rising Star, Southern California, Super Lawyers
2017
Rising Star, Northern California, Super Lawyers
2016
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2016
Rising Star, Northern California, Super Lawyers
2016
Rising Star, Southern California, Super Lawyers
2006
American Jurisprudence Award, University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
2006
Merit Scholarship, University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
2005
Dean’s Scholar Graduate, University of Maryland, College Park
2005
Merit Scholarship, University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
Work Experience
2009 - Present
Owner, Law Offices of Nate Kelly
2009 - 2010
Supervising Discovery Attorney - Securities Class Action, Glancy & Binkow
2007 - 2009
Attorney, Kaye Scholer LLP
2006 - 2006
Law Clerk, Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA)
Associations
2016 - Present
University of Southern California Alumni AssociationAmbassador
2009 - Present
State Bar of CaliforniaAttorney Member
2004 - Present
Phi Beta KappaMember
American Bar Association
Attorney Member
Beverly Hills Bar Association
Attorney Member
2017 - 2018
Delegation to the CCBAVice Chair
2016 - 2019
Bar Association of San Francisco, Barristers ClubIntellectual Property Section Executive Committee Member
2016 - 2019
Conference of California Bar AssociationsExecutive Committee Member, BASF Delegation
2016 - 2019
University of Southern California Law School Bay Area Alumni AssociationChair
2015 - 2019
Bar Association of San FranciscoMember
2015 - 2016
Lawyers in MENSAMember
2009 - 2014
CALIFORNIA YOUNG LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (CYLA)Member
Sample of Legal Cases
Pineapple Express Denies Fraud Claims From Multiple Lawsuits
Coachella Sues Moechella, Saying the DC Protests Infringe on the Music Festival’s Trademark
(Unresolved)
The Chainsmokers Limited, Mood-Altering Shades With Futuremood
Major Endorsement / Investment Deal
Lil Yachty Is Latest Investor As Sunglasses Brand Futuremood Expands Its Pop Culture Lens
Major Endorsement
Complex Business Litigation / Derivative Action
Court Approved Settlement
Data Company v. Silicon Valley Unicorn
$900,000 Settlement
Contractor v. Former Employer (Securities Co)
Settled for $140,000 – 140% of claim.
Budhraja et al v. Paliwal et al
More than $300,000 recovered – 110% of claim.
Cleary Canadian v. Clearly Kombucha
Summary judgment of dilution claim; settled infringement claim with client retaining rights to Clearly Kombucha mark.
Securities Fraud Litigation
Settlement achieved 100% of value
Breach of Contract
Settlement - return of monies paid
RenewAge v. Enlightened Energy et al
Money judgment; Closure of competing business.
Trademark Defense
Favorable Settlement - Client maintains mark
Trade Secret Dispute
Favorable Settlement in favor of client in amount equal to fair licensing fee plus attorney's fees
National Distribution Agreement
Contract Completed.
International Franchise Agreement
Successful Completion of International Franchise Agreement
Business Client v. Former Employee
Settlement - cease and desist along with damages.
Education
2008
University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
2005
University of Maryland, College Park
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2017
Creators Network Lunch and Learn with Nate Kelly, Esq.
Get Paid Faster
2014
The Great Debasers Podcast
The Law of Jerry MaGuire
Publications
2016
UpCounsel blog
Why You Need a Lawyer for Contract Management
2016
UpCounsel blog
How to Protect your Company’s Intellectual Property
2009
North American Clean Energy
The Politics of Solar Siting
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Answers
Q&A
Wanted to know if I get fired for not signing an NDA do I need to sign termination papers or can I just walk out?
21 Feb 2024
Q&A
Can a lawyer form a single member LLC? If not, what type of corporation can single lawyer form?
25 Sep 2015
Q&A
Can a copyright owner sue for infringement after the infringing content is removed?
20 Jan 2015