LAWYER PROFILE
Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly

USA 2026

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Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Nixon Peabody LLP

USA

Practice Areas

Government Investigations & White Collar Defense

Litigation

Securities & Governance Litigation

False Claims Act & Qui Tam Matters

Life Sciences & Healthcare Compliance and Investigations

NP Trial®

Regulatory & Government Relations

Arbitration, Mediation & Alternative Dispute Resolution

Public Corruption

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)

Global Compliance & Investigations

State Attorneys General

Export Controls & Economic Sanctions

Financial Institution Investigations

CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.)

National Security & Resilience

Career

Brian Kelly defends corporations and executives in federal and state investigations of all sorts including SEC inquiries, insider trading charges, healthcare fraud cases, False Claims Act (FCA) allegations, internal corporate investigations, white-collar criminal defense, and NCAA compliance matters. He has tried dozens of federal cases including, most notably, the James “Whitey” Bulger case to a successful conclusion. He also recently defended a parent in a federal trial arising from the Varsity Blues investigation, securing a favorable appellate ruling that reversed the conviction.

/ My focus

With 30+ years of experience in government investigations and white-collar defense, Brian is a nationally recognized former federal prosecutor and high-profile trial attorney. His seasoned judgment and strategic counsel comes from years of experience in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in both Boston and San Diego.

As a federal prosecutor, Brian handled some of the most sensitive and complex government trials and investigations including economic crimes, RICO charges, healthcare fraud and abuse, public corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, mail and wire fraud, labor racketeering, union corruption, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations. He also achieved successful results in running major federal investigations in well-known, high-profile cases involving official misconduct, embezzlement, obstruction of justice, perjury, extortion, and homicide.

Brian’s background and extensive trial experience gives him a unique perspective and allows him to protect his clients’ interests by proactively identifying risks and providing an objective assessment of the severity of possible violations, as well as the likely response from government investigators and prosecutors. He helps clients develop and implement strategies to mitigate their exposure and damages to their reputations and businesses.

/ Looking ahead

The federal government is more aggressive today than ever before, and this trend will continue as a growing number of white-collar crime and corporate misconduct investigations are being pursued by the DOJ and the SEC.

Education

University of Pennsylvania Law School

J.D.

Dartmouth College

B.A., magna cum laude

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Guide to the USA

Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations - Massachusetts

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial
Brian Kelly is a seasoned practitioner who is regularly called upon to represent individuals and corporations in white-collar defense and SEC investigations.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Brian has a ton of experience in court being a federal prosecutor.

    Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USA
  • Brian consistently delivers. He is very practical, easy to work with and very knowledgeable.

    Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USA

Ranked Individuals at Nixon Peabody LLP (74)

California

District of Columbia

Illinois

Massachusetts

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