LAWYER PROFILE
Karen Hsu Kelley

Karen Hsu Kelley

USA 2026

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Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

USA

Practice Areas

Head of Simpson Thacher’s innovative Public Company Advisory Practice, Karen Hsu Kelley counsels U.S. and non-U.S. public companies on governance considerations and compliance with federal securities laws and the listing requirements of the major U.S. exchanges. In her practice, Karen regularly assists public companies on navigating a wide range of matters, including SEC and stock exchange reporting and disclosure requirements, disclosure of board and executive compensation, corporate governance, conflicts of interest, crisis management planning, shareholder proposals, director independence, insider trading considerations, the impact of proxy advisory firms, and responses to formal and informal SEC inquiries. During her career spanning over two decades, Karen has advised a wide range of clients, from Dow 30, Fortune 100 and S&P 500 companies to small- and mid-cap companies along with IPO companies.

Career

Joined Firm, 2002; Partner, 2014.

Professional Memberships

Member of the Advisory Board for Practical Law with respect to Capital Markets & Governance matters

Personal

Columbia Law School (J.D., 2002, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar); Princeton University (B.A., cum laude, 1997).

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Guide to the USA

Corporate Governance - USA - Nationwide

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial

Karen Hsu Kelley is a highly sought-after corporate governance expert who acts for a number of leading national and international corporates, as well as growth companies, on a broad range of compliance, disclosure and public company advisory matters.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • She brings a strong sense of ownership to matters and is highly effective at supporting senior management and the board, particularly on complex and time-sensitive governance and public company issues. She operates at the highest level of sophistication, combining deep technical expertise with excellent judgment across corporate governance, securities compliance, and significant financing and transactional matters.

    Corporate GovernanceChambers Guide to the USA
  • Karen is adept at navigating complex regulatory and market considerations and translating them into practical, actionable guidance for decision-makers. She has a nuanced understanding of the business, investor expectations, and market dynamics and her advice consistently reflects a forward-looking perspective and an ability to align legal strategy with broader business objectives.

    Corporate GovernanceChambers Guide to the USA
  • She's amazing. She's wonderful to work with, knows what she's doing and gives unflinching advice, even in high stakes situations. She knows corporate governance and gives the board confidence.

    Corporate GovernanceChambers Guide to the USA
  • I cannot say enough fantastic things about Karen. She is a superstar. She is an excellent lawyer, with sharp, commercially-aware judgment, and an incredibly trusted adviser, who is held in the highest regard by multiple members of the C-Suite.

    Corporate GovernanceChambers Guide to the USA
  • Karen is an expert. She is humble yet can speak or argue with forcefulness and confidence when appropriate. She understands our company and our people and our issues unique to us. She is friendly and easy to talk to, but provides practical, creative and meaningful advice. She's one of the best lawyers I've ever worked with in my career.

    Corporate GovernanceChambers Guide to the USA

Ranked Individuals at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (156)

California

California: Los Angeles & Surrounds

California: San Francisco, Silicon Valley & Surrou

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    Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation

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District of Columbia

Illinois

Massachusetts

New York

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