A first-generation college graduate who served in the military for seven years prior to pursuing his undergraduate degree, Mike Kelly has come to the law in nontraditional fashion. Doubtless his background has contributed significantly to Mike’s polished interpersonal skills and the maturity with which he embraces his new career.
“I have known for years I wanted to work in the business world,” he notes. “After exploring the roles of executives and professionals in various industries, I came to realize that the most exciting elements of any business generally involve attorneys. So law school was a natural next step after I completed my bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Washington Tacoma.”
As a transactional lawyer, Mike explains, he represents parties that have come together to do something: build, buy, sell, develop, restructure, merge, etc.“It’s exciting for me to be the how,” he adds. “Folks want to get the deal done; and I’m the means for making that happen. It’s a weighty responsibility—and a privilege.”
“Taking the time to truly understand my clients’ goals, to understand their businesses and the business world in general—these are indispensable keys to my success as a lawyer. I must never lose sight of the fact that clients always have a choice in whom they trust to do their legal work.”– MIKE KELLY
A distinguished U.S. Army veteran who served two tours of duty in the Middle East, Mike is among the firm’s newer associates. He brings to Phillips Burgess experience as a Rule 9 legal intern for Ledger Square Law, Tacoma, law clerk to the general counsel of Associated Industries, Spokane, and business law clinic intern at his alma mater, Gonzaga University School of Law. In the community, this Tacoma resident has been a volunteer for Northwest Harvest and the state Department of Ecology. He works primarily out of the firm’s Olympia office.