Suisman Shapiro Celebrates Two Kelly’s—Kristi D. of Old Lyme and Carolyn P. —for Achievements in Law

NEW LONDON–Suisman Shapiro Attorneys-at-Law this month will honor two unrelated attorneys with the same last name — Carolyn P. Kelly and Kristi D. Kelly — for their achievements and leadership in the legal profession. 

The firm in a press release said the women’s legacy of integrity, intellect, and service will be celebrated Thursday, Nov. 13, at Rocks 21 Restaurant in Mystic. 

Old Lyme resident Kristi D. Kelly, a director at the firm, is being recognized nationally for her excellence in labor, employment, and municipal law. She recently received the Women, Influence & Power in Law “Law Firm Collaborative Leadership Award” in Washington D.C. and was honored as an “Unsung Hero” at the New England Legal Awards on October 23 in Boston. 

She represents municipalities including Old Lyme, public agencies, and private employers across Connecticut and has dedicated pro bono service to veterans through the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, earning the 2020 Hon. Anthony V. DeMayo Pro Bono Service Award. 

She leads Suisman Shapiro’s Human Resources Committee and will launch the firm’s first Women in Leadership Committee in 2025. 

Eric Callahan described Kristi Kelly’s leadership and compassion as inspiring.

“Together, she and Carolyn [Kelly] exemplify the best of Suisman Shapiro,” he said.

The firm said Carolyn Kelly is retiring following a career defined by her intellectual rigor and pioneering impact on workers’ compensation law. 

An authority under the Federal Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and the Defense Base Act, she has successfully argued multiple landmark cases before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, helping to shape modern case law. 

The firm said Carolyn Kelly, a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Oregon School of Law as one of only four women in her class, spent her career breaking barriers and mentoring younger lawyers. She is a past President of the Connecticut Bar Association, served on the American Bar Association’s Board of Governors, and is a Trustee Emeritus of the Sea Research Foundation, which operates Mystic Aquarium. 

Eric Callahan, managing partner, said her “… intellect and courage have made a lasting impact on the law and on our firm.”