Born in Beaumont TX, Attorney Kelley Blatnik experienced the privilege of relocating frequently, and attending approximately six (6) elementary schools and five (5) high school during her three (3) year high school career. These moves and frequent relocations provided Kelley with the benefit of learning new cultures, new ways of doing things, and taught her to adapt, innovate, overcome, and problem solve. Kelley distinguished herself academically at an early age by graduating one (1) year early from high school with sufficient Advanced Placement credits to qualify her as a sophomore at university when she started at Brigham Young University.
At Brigham Young University, Kelley studied microbiology, music, and Russian. She worked in a laboratory setting with genetically engineered e-coli prior to relocation to Louisiana State University (“LSU”) in Baton Rouge, LA. At LSU, Kelley continued her study of the Russian language, graduating with honors Cum Laude with her major as Russian Area Studies while she continued her musical studies performing in orchestras, small string ensembles, and choirs. After earning her B.A. from LSU, she commended working on her Ph.D. in Political Science at LSU.
The love of law drew Kelley away from LSU’s political science graduate program and ultimately lead her to earn a Juris Doctor from University of Florida, Levin College of Law (“UF”), a top tier law school ranked #21 by U.S. News and World Report for best law schools for 2021/2022. Kelley graduated in December 2008 ranking number twelve (12) in her graduating class. After graduating from UF, Kelley began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender before starting her own law firm in 2010. Kelley’s diverse legal career includes but is not limited to representation client in criminal law, family law, insurance defense, plaintiff’s work, patent defense, landlord-tenant law, HOA law, property law, appellate law, tax court matters, and animal law. In addition to admission to practice law before the United States Supreme Court, Kelley earned admission to thirteen (13) other jurisdictions, for a current total of fourteen (14) jurisdictions. Kelley’s writings earned distinction in their domestic and international publications. Kelley earned the distinction of “The IIER Excellent Paper” for no less than two (2) or her legal analysis papers at two (2) separate International Conferences for the Institute of Engineers and Researchers, and co-authored a paper regarding trade restrictions and enforcement with Iran.
Kelley enjoys travel, SCUBA diving, sky-diving (tandem jumps as she is not yet certified to jump solo), shooting (concealed carry permit holder in multiple states), hiking, boating, performing with orchestral groups, and occasionally fire dancing.
BACKGROUND & ACHIEVEMENTS
LICENSES:
FLORIDA STATE BAR #67166 JULY 2009
11TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS SEPT 2009 Bar # 697848173
U.S. DISTRICT COURT FLORIDA NORTHERN DISTRICT OCT 2009
U.S. DISTRICT COURT FLORIDA MIDDLE DISTRICT DEC 2009
U.S. TAX COURT BAR #HK0205 APRIL 2011
U.S. DISTRICT COURT FLORIDA SOUTHERN DISTRICT APRIL 2011
NEVADA STATE BAR #12768 OCT 2012
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA JAN 2013 Bar # 285524
U.S. DISTRICT COURT OF UTAH, CENTRAL DISTRICT OCT 2013
UTAH STATE BAR # 14862 OCT 2013
US DISTRICT COURT NEVADA DISTRICT JAN 2015
9TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS JAN 2015
REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON S.0181525 NEVADA 2017
REALTOR 2017
REAL ESTATE BROKER-SALESPERSON BS.0145439 APRIL 2018
NOTARY PUBLIC FLORIDA COMMISSION NO DD EE866177 EXPIRED JAN 22, 2017
10TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS July 2019 Bar # A10-46241-520
FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS July 2019 Bar # A13-32724-620
NOTARY PUBLIC NEVADA APPT #15-1362-1 EXPIRES MAY 13, 2023
CONCEALED CARRY FIREARMS PERMIT 6039495 NV EXPIRES JUNE 6, 2025
CONCEALED CARRY FIREARMS PERMIT C6097121 UT EXPIRES AUG. 22, 2025
CONCEALED CARRY FIREARMS PERMIT FLORIDA FL EXPIRED SEPT 30, 2017
PADI OPEN WATER SCUBA DIVE CERTIFICATION ISO 24801-2 DIVER LEVEL 2 DIVER NO. 10080Q2208
PUBLICATIONS:
- “NEVADA: EMBRACING THE PAST, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE,” KELLEY HASSON, NEVADA LAWYER MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2014
- “ON THE COMPLIANCE TO REGULATORY BODIES FOR IMPORT/EXPORT GOODS,” CARLO GIACOMA, GUIDA SASSI, AND KELLEY HASSON PRESENTED AT 27TH ANNUAL GLOBAL TRADE CONTROL CONFERENCE NOV 2014
- “REAL ESTATE LAWYERING ON A BUDGET” KELLEY BLATNIK, COMMUNIQUE MAY 2016
- “SHADOW WOOD AFFIRMED ESTABLISHED LEGAL STANDARDS RELATING TO HOA FORECLOSURES” KELLEY BLATNIK AND PAUL CONNAGHAN, COMMUNIQUE MAY 2016
- “TAXATION OF FOREIGN INDIVIDUAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS IN U.S.A.” PUBLISHED AT THE MAY 25-26, 2018 ROME, ITALY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCE PAPER ID: II-LPSROME-25058-10892
- "TAX PENALTY PAID BY MARRIED WORKING PARENTS DUE TO FILING STATUS IN THE U.S.A." PUBLISHED AT THE DECEMBER 17, 2018 LAS VEGAS, NV, USA IIER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. PAPER ID. II-LPSLAS-17128-13766.
- “TO TEXT, OR NOT TO TEXT: THAT IS THE QUESTION: PROMPT COMMUNICATION WITH CLIENTS IN THE ELECTRONIC AGE” (KELLEY HASSON ) NEVADA LAWYER MAGAZINE DEC 2014
- U.S. TAX CODE ANALYSIS VOL. I: FIRPTA AND MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY, NOV. 23, 2018. ISBN: 978-613-8-50004
CLE/CONFERENCES
- 2019 UTAH STATE BAR SUMMER CONVENTION, HELD AT PARK CITY, UT ON JULY 18-20, 2019
- 2019 NEVADA DISTRICT COURT CONFERENCE AT THE ENCLAVE, HELD AT LAS VEGAS, NV ON MAY 16, 2019
- MAKING SENSE OF SCIENCE XII, SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS HELD AT LAS VEGAS, NV ON APRIL 5-6, 2019
- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCE SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERS AND RESEARCHERS HELD AT LAS VEGAS, NV, USA ON DECEMBER 17 – 18, 2018
- 8TH ANNUAL WEST COAST WHITE COLLAR CONFERENCE, SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS HELD AT SANTA MONICA, CA ON JUNE 20 – 22, 2018
- 2018 AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION ANNUAL LITIGATION SECTION MEETING HELD AT SAN DIEGO, CA ON MAY 2-4, 2018
- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCE SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERS AND RESEARCHERS HELD AT ROME, ITALY ON MAY 25-26, 2018
- LITIGATION SECTION ANNUAL CLE & OFF-ROAD SHENANIGANS, SPONSORED BY THE UTAH STATE BAR HELD AT MOAB, UT ON NOVEMBER 10-11. 2017
ACTIVITIES/HONORS
- GLVAR MEMBER
- NAR (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS) MEMBER
- NEVADA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (MARCH 2017 – DECEMBER 2017)
- SHIFTING SANDS BELLY DANCE TROUPE (AUGUST 2016 – PRESENT)
- BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHIFTING SAND BELLY DANCE TROUPE (JAN 2019 – JAN 2020)
- HENDERSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (April 2015 – present)
- CLARK COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
- AMERICAN INNS OF COURT (2010 – 2013)
- LAKE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION (2009 – 2014)
- JAC CONFLICT REGISTRY ATTORNEY, FLORIDA (2010-2014)
- FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
- THE FLORIDA BAR ASSOCIATION YOUNG LAWYER’S DIVISION
EDUCATION
- UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GAINESVILLE, FL
- JURIS DOCTOR DECEMBER 2008 CGPA 3.23
- FALL ’08 GPA 3.86 SPRING ’07 GPA 3.5 SUMMER ’07 GPA 3.5
- SPRING ’08 GPA 3.44 RANKED 12/33
- THE FLORIDA BAR ASSOCIATION YOUNG LAWYER’S DIVISION 2008 SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
- UF DEAN’S LIST SPRING 2007
- UF DEAN’S LIST SPRING 2008
- BOOK AWARD EVIDENCE §B FALL 2007
- BOOK AWARD INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELING SPRING 2008
- BOOK AWARD FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND FLORIDA SUPREME COURT SEMINAR FALL 2008 SENIOR PAPER “FLORIDA HOMESTEAD PROTECTION: THE LEGAL CHAMELEON CHANGES ITS COLORS TO ADAPT TO THE 2005 AMENDMENTS TO THE U.S. BANKRUPTCY CODE” BOOK AWARD EVIDENCE FALL 2007 PROFESSOR COHEN
- BOOK AWARD SPRING 2008 INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELING PROFESSOR BURKE
- BOOK AWARD FALL 2008 FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND FLORIDA SUPREME COURT SEMINAR JUSTICE OVERTON
- PHI ALPHA DELTA LAW FRATERNITY AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION JOHN MARSHALL BAR ASSOCIATION
- SOCIETY FOR LEGAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
- LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, BATON ROUGE, LA
- PH.D. PROGRAM AUG 2000-JAN 2001 GPA 3.0 GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
- LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, BATON ROUGE, LA
- BA MAY 2000 CUM LAUDE RUSSIAN AREA STUDIES MINOR MUSIC
- SENIOR HONORS THESIS “DOSTOEVSKY’S VISION OF THE NAROD IN THE PEASANT MAREY” LSU GPA 4.0 CUMULATIVE 3.76 HONOR COLLEGE GRADUATE
- GOLDEN KEY HONOR SOCIETY GAMMA BETA PHI HONOR SOCIETY
- LSU DEAN’S LIST FALL 1998, SPRING 1999, FALL 1999, SPRING 2000 LSU MATH TUTOR AUG 1998-MAY 1999
- STUDIED VIOLA UNDER DR. YERSEY KOSMALA
- LSU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
- LSU WOMEN’S CHORUS, ACCAPELLO CLUB, MU SINGING GROUP
- BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY, PROVO, UT
- AUG 1996-JULY 1998 MICROBIOLOGY MAJOR, MINOR MUSIC AND RUSSIAN
- BYU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
- BYU CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
- BYU MIXED CHORAL ENSEMBLE
- STUDIED VIOLIN AND VIOLA UNDER RETIRED HEAD OF STRINGS DEPARTMENT
- RUSSIAN CHOIR – SANG IN RUSSIAN
- RUSSIAN HOUSE – LIVED IN DORM WHERE ONLY RUSSIAN WAS SPOKEN
- RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT BYU TO DR. ALAN HARKER PROVO, UT FEB 1997-JULY 1998 RESEARCHED MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF P-NITRILPHENOL
- ASSISTED RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSALS
- UTAH VALLEY STATE COLLEGE, OREM, UT SUMMER 1995
- MATH & BALLROOM DANCE UVSC BALLROOM DANCE CLUB - EAST COAST SWING BEGINNER LEVEL CHAMPION 1995
