Ariel M. Kelly

Ariel (Ari) Kelly is a member of the Labor and Employment group who advises employers on workforce issues that directly affect operations, transactions, and growth. She supports companies ranging from startups to global organizations with practical guidance that aligns employment strategy with business objectives.

Ari conducts workplace investigations involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and policy violations, working closely with leadership to deliver clear findings and actionable outcomes. She defends employers in federal and state court litigation involving discrimination, wage and hour, leave and accommodation laws, pay equity, and trade secret disputes, including the successful enforcement of restrictive covenants against competitors. Ari also counsels executives, HR teams, and business owners across the employee lifecycle and drafts employment agreements, policies, and handbooks that manage risk and support scale.

She brings a transactional mindset to labor and employment due diligence, advising on workforce risks in mergers, acquisitions, and market expansions so clients can move forward with confidence.

Experience

• Obtained plaintiff’s voluntary non-suit of a lawsuit after the conclusion of the plaintiff’s deposition
• Obtained multiple dismissals of administrative charges of alleged discrimination and labor law violations
• Conducted multiple global workplace investigations
• Enforced a non-compete and confidentiality agreement against a client’s direct competitor