In 2002, Jay joined Elk + Elk after nine years as a trial attorney, including work as a felony prosecutor and civil defense attorney for Ohio’s largest medical centers. This diverse background laid the foundation for his impressive career.
In 2011, Jay became a partner at Elk + Elk, and in 2017, he assumed the role of Managing Partner. His focus on civil trial work in state and federal courts solidified his reputation as a seasoned attorney.
Jay’s practice areas encompass a wide range of medical negligence and wrongful death cases, including birth injuries, maternal deaths, surgeries, oncological issues, cardiac complications, and pharmaceutical causes.
His extensive courtroom experience includes handling cases in over 30 Ohio counties, as well as appearances in appellate courts and the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Jay’s exceptional legal skills and leadership abilities were recognized when he was appointed as Court Liaison and Lead Counsel for all claimants in lawsuits against University Hospitals regarding the loss of thousands of eggs and embryos in 2019. In this role, he supervised the comprehensive management and resolution of cases involving 65 plaintiffs. The litigation stemmed from a fertility clinic incident that rendered thousands of fertilized embryos and eggs non-viable.
In 2021, Jay was awarded “Lawyer of the Year” in Medical Malpractice Law in Cleveland.
Jay has been consistently recognized as an “Ohio Super Lawyer” since 2009. He holds the highest AVVO rating and a 5.0/5.0 AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™, underscoring his legal abilities and commitment to ethics.
Jay’s accomplishments include:
- Top 5: Cleveland Super Lawyers: 2012 – 2015
- Top 50: Cleveland Super Lawyers: 2009, 2012 – 2024
- Top 10: Ohio Super Lawyers: 2011 – 2015
- Top 100: Ohio Super Lawyers: 2010 – 2024
- Awarded “Lawyer of the Year” in Medical Malpractice Law in Cleveland in 2021
- Consistently included in The Best Lawyers in America for Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury since 2016
Jay’s dedication extends beyond his practice. He has served on the boards of the Ohio Association of Justice and The Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys. Nationally, he is a member of the American Association for Justice’s “Leadership Forum.”
Jay is a respected authority in his field and frequently speaks at international conferences for medical and legal groups. He has published chapters in Comprehensive Gynecology, addressing medical-legal issues and risk management related to birth injuries.
He has also contributed to medical textbooks, serving as a reviewer for:
The Sixth Edition of Fetal Monitoring, a Multidisciplinary Approach
The Ninth Edition of Pocket Guide to Fetal Monitoring, a Multidisciplinary Approach
Outside of his legal work, Jay values spending quality time with his family, reminding us that life’s greatest treasures are found in our personal connections.
In the News
- Elk & Elk among best employers in Ohio for 2023 – July 5, 2023
- Lawsuit: Workers at local burger eatery robbed customer – May 2, 2023
- Top Lawyers: Jay Kelley of Elk & Elk On The 5 Things You Need To Become A Top Lawyer In Your Specific Field of Law – Jan. 30, 2023
- Elk & Elk preps for formal transition in leadership – May 20, 2018
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Medical Malpractice
- Birth Injury
- Catastrophic Claims
- Bar Admissions
- Ohio, 1993
- U.S. Federal Courts, 1995
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1995
Education
- University of Akron School of Law, Akron, Ohio
- College of Wooster
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts – 1990
Published Works
- Mosby’s Pocket Guide to Fetal Monitoring; a Multidisciplinary Approach, Ninth Edition, Reviewer
- Gershenson, Lentz, Valea, Lobo, 8th Edition Comprehensive Gynecology, Medical-Legal Risk Management, 2022
- Mosby’s Fetal Monitoring; a Multidisciplinary Approach, Sixth Edition, Reviewer
- Katz, 6th Edition Comprehensive Gynecology, Medical-Legal Issues, 2011
- Lobo, Gershenson, Lentz, Valea, 7th Edition Comprehensive Gynecology, Medical-Legal Risk Management, 2017
Honors and Awards
- “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland – 2021
- Medical Malpractice Law
- University Hospitals Embryo Litigation – 2018
- Selected as Liason/Lead Counsel on behalf of all claimants
- The Best Lawyers in America® Inclusion – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Medical Malpractice Law
- Personal Injury Litigation
- America’s Top 100 Attorneys
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum-Member
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum-Member
- Top 50 Cleveland Super Lawyers – 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Ohio Super Lawyers – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Top 100 Ohio Super Lawyers – 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating – 5.0/5.0 AV/ Preeminent
- Top 5 Cleveland Super Lawyers – 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
- Top 10 Ohio Super Lawyers – 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
- Elite Lawyers of America-Platinum Member (10 or more $2 million dollar results)
- American Association for Justice Top 100 Ohio 2008-2011
- Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (Recertified 2011)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Academy of Trial Attorneys
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association-Fellow
- The Ohio Association of Justice (OAJ) Board of Trustees, 2009-2010
- Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist
- American Association of Justice: Leaders Forum
