Profile Summary
About John W. Kelly at a glance
John W. Kelly is a business, real estate, estate litigation, and litigation attorney based in Honolulu, Hawaii, practicing at Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher, A Law Corporation. They have 9+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 2017. Admitted to practice in Hawaii (2017). Educated at New York Law School (JD, 2012) and Seattle University (BA, 2008). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Real Estate (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — in America (2026). Serands clients in Honolulu, HI and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- John W. Kelly is a Director of the firm
- Mr. Kelly focuses his practice in the area of commercial litigation, with particular concentration in intellectual property rights
- Mr. Kelly is admitted to the New York and Hawaii Bar and earned his Juris Doctor from New York Law School
- He is also a member of the panel with the First Circuit Court Annexed Arbitration Program
- Mr. Kelly has been selected to theHawaii Super Lawyers®, "Rising Star" list in the practice area of IP Litigation (2020-2023)
- Mr. Kelly has been named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 list in the practice areas of Real Estate Litigation and Commercial Litigation
- Mr. Kelly has also been named to The Best Lawyers in America®, Ones to Watch list in the practice area of Intellectual Property Litigation
- Prior to joining Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher, Mr. Kelly was an associate at one of the nation’s oldest intellectual property firms based in New York
- While there his practice included counseling clients from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies on the prosecution, opposition and enforcement of worldwide intellectual property rights, negotiating coexistence and settlement agreements, providing guidance on business transactions and conducting due diligence for divestments and acquisitions
- Mr. Kelly worked closely with the Litigation Group and the Mergers, Acquisitions and Licensing Group during his tenure with the firm
- Since returning to Hawaii Mr. Kelly has assisted a number of clients, from individuals and startups, to large and established corporations with a wide range of intellectual property matters
- Mr. Kelly has advised local clients on domestic and international trademark registration, maintenance and enforcement, including litigating matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), state, federal, and administrative tribunals
- His work also includes assisting business clients with issues relating to copyright, domain names, rights of publicity and unfair competition
- Some of Mr. Kelly’s clients include local leaders in the food and beverage, hospitality, fashion, retail, luxury and tech industries in Hawaii
- Mr. Kelly was recently sought out by Hawaii News Now to comment on the "Aloha Poke" case, where a Chicago-based business attempted to stop businesses from using the words "aloha" and "aloha poke"
- Read here
- Mr. Kelly also has prior experience as a financial instrument consultant at a boutique research firm focused on the review and legal analysis of bond and loan covenants for institutional investors
- During law school, Mr. Kelly was a legal intern at The United States Court of International Trade in New York City, serving the Chambers of the Honorable Judge Nicholas Tsoucalas
Practice Areas Explained
John W. Kelly's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases John W. Kelly handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
John W. Kelly is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Hawaii →
Real estate attorneys handle home purchases, sales, commercial transactions, title disputes, and landlord-tenant matters.
John W. Kelly is one of 316,149 real estate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse real estate attorneys in Hawaii →
John W. Kelly is one of 20,023 estate litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse estate litigation attorneys in Hawaii →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
John W. Kelly is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Hawaii →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Hawaii
Practicing law in Hawaii. Legal matters in Hawaii are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Honolulu are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Hawaii state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Hawaii brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Hawaii courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Hawaii attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Honolulu or all attorneys in Hawaii.
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