Kelly Koss focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and insurance claims with a particular emphasis on contract, environmental, and construction matters. She is respected by clients for her counsel regarding litigation avoidance techniques and her willingness to work collaboratively to seek early resolution to disputes. When litigation is unavoidable, Kelly is prepared to advocate zealously for her clients to achieve desired results.
Kelly represents companies, state governments, manufacturers, not-for profit associations, and other types of policyholders in a variety of insurance coverage matters, including claims related to general liability, long-tail environmental and toxic tort claims (including emerging contaminants such as PFAS), property, event cancellation, and insurance bad faith. She has experience performing insurance policy reviews and advising clients during the claims process. She also represents clients in contract-related disputes and tort actions in both federal and state courts.
Assisting clients from the initiation of a case through to its conclusion, Kelly is an experienced litigator. She routinely researches and drafts virtually all types of pleadings and motions, develops litigation strategy, takes and defends depositions, argues complex dispositive and discovery motions in court, and conducts settlement negotiations. Additionally, Kelly has experience representing clients at mediation and arbitration hearings.
Kelly's experience as a municipal planner in Michigan before becoming an attorney adds depth to her construction law practice. As a municipal planner, she regularly worked with city and township stakeholders, developers, engineers, and design professionals to finalize development plans. Kelly was also responsible for advising community boards regarding land use and zoning issues and facilitating public workshops as part of a long-term community master planning effort.
Credentials
Education
- Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 2015, managing editor and published author for the Chicago-Kent Law Review, staff editor and published author for Seventh Circuit Review
- Kalamazoo College, B.A., art with a minor in psychology, 2004, cum laude
- University of Michigan, Master of Urban Design, 2008, with high distinction
- University of Michigan, Master of Urban Planning, 2008
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Michigan
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

