Consumer Watchdog Honors Michael A. Kelly with Lifetime Achievement Award

Consumer Watchdog honored Michael A. Kelly, a shareholder at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, with its Lifetime Legal Achievement Award at the Rage for Justice Awards Celebration on June 13 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The award recognizes distinguished attorneys and public-interest advocates whose careers have advanced consumer protection, challenged corporate misconduct, and improved public safety. Kelly was honored alongside Citizens Advocate of the Year recipient Joy Chen and Phillip Burton Public Service Award recipient Ro Khanna.

For more than four decades, Kelly has been a leading trial lawyer and consumer advocate in California, representing individuals and families harmed by dangerous products, catastrophic accidents, medical negligence, utility-caused wildfires, and corporate wrongdoing. His work has resulted in billions of dollars in recoveries for injured consumers, including his leadership role in the historic $13.5 billion settlement arising from the 2017 Northern California wildfire litigation against PG&E. Kelly's recent work includes litigation against major corporations such as Amazon, Tesla, Kaiser, Uber, Pfizer, and Southern California Edison. He currently serves on the plaintiffs' steering committee in the Los Angeles Eaton Fire litigation and continues to advocate for wildfire victims throughout California.

"Receiving this award from Consumer Watchdog is an incredible honor," said Michael A. Kelly. "Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of representing people whose lives were forever changed by negligence and corporate misconduct. This recognition reflects not only my work, but the dedication of my colleagues, co-counsel, and the courageous clients who trusted us to fight for accountability." Doug Saeltzer, President of Consumer Attorneys of California and a Shareholder at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, praised Kelly's four-decade career fighting for injured individuals and holding powerful interests accountable. Kelly's numerous accolades include Northern California's Top Ten Super Lawyers, San Francisco Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in both 2023 and 2024, and induction into the National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame and LawDragon Hall of Fame.