S. SHAKIRA ALI KELLEY
Counsel | Licensed in Texas and Florida
About Shakira
S. Shakira Ali Kelley is a passionate trial attorney who holds over ten years of experience in complex civil litigation and criminal defense. Born and raised in Texas, Shakira’s diverse litigation experience allows her a unique foresight to visualize a case from inception through trial. Her fierce advocacy for her clients has allowed for countless wins in the courtroom and successful resolutions pre-trial. She strongly adheres to the mantra that the best interest of the client should be the only roadmap when navigating through litigation.
Shakira attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law. After graduating law school, she practiced criminal defense as an Assistant Public Defender in West Palm Beach, Florida. There she rose quickly through the ranks and was the lead attorney responsible for defending indigent clients charged with serious crimes that carried mandatory life sentences. Shakira tried more than thirty jury trials to verdict while expanding her litigation experience. Next she joined a prestigious South Florida insurance defense firm with a practice focusing on defending carriers throughout the state in first party property, premise liability, and commercial litigation and providing pre-suit bad faith coverage opinions.
Thereafter, Shakira went in-house with a Florida based property insurance company handling litigation throughout the state. As senior counsel, Shakira successfully defended the company in hundreds of lawsuits and obtained judgments in favor of the carrier. Shakira’s career then took her back to her native state of Texas, where she joined one of the largest title insurance companies in the country. She defended high dollar title claims and handled a broad array of title and real estate litigation.
Shakira enjoys working in her garden and cooking up creative dishes with a variety of unique spices. Shakira resides in the Dallas, Texas area with her husband, son and daughter. As a first-generation American, Shakira is fluent in Urdu and Hindi.
EDUCATION
Shakira obtained a Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science and International Studies from Loyola University Chicago. During her undergraduate study, Shakira spent a length of time in Tunisia, studying U.S. foreign policy and its impact on relations with North Africa. Shakira obtained her law degree from the University of Florida.
She is also a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College, Trial Practice Institute.
awards
Shakira has been named Most Passionate Trial Attorney of the Year 2022 (USA) by Acquisition International Legal Awards.
BAR ADMISSIONS
State Bar of Texas
State Bar of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
Dallas Women Lawyer Association
Florida Defense Lawyers Association
Florida Association of Women Lawyers
Dallas Asian American Bar Association
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Shakira is interested in speaking and writing on topics relating to litigation. To contact her regarding speaking or writing opportunities, please reach out to Shakira directly at shakira@rudnickifirm.com.
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