Kelly D. Gemelli, Esq.
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Kelly D. Gemelli’s empathetic approach to conflict resolution ensures the greatest potential for reaching a settlement. Kelly offers over 25 years of experience, as a neutral and litigator, and understands how to best navigate complex, technical and emotionally charged disputes. Kelly has handled challenging and high-profile matters, as well as highly sensitive matters, including those involving sexual misconduct and abuse. Kelly also has extensive investigative and report writing experience, having served as neutral third-party investigator since 2019. Kelly is uniquely qualified to provide practical, and thorough case evaluations as part of a thoughtful, balanced, and confidential resolution process.
Throughout her career, Kelly has handled litigation, arbitration and mediation of hundreds of claims involving class-based discrimination claims, claims of harassment, bullying, discrimination, retaliation, theft, whistleblowing, wage and hour, PAGA claims, embezzlement, and other allegations of workplace misconduct.
Kelly is also a lecturer and a trainer on a wide variety of employment topics. She has presented and trained professional groups in specialized areas of employment law, including the prevention of sexual harassment and discrimination, wage and hour issues, class actions, implicit bias, workplace violence, workplace accommodations, sensitivity in the workplace, managing leaves of absence under FMLA and California state leave laws, and the effective management and prevention of claims. Kelly also serves as a mediator and arbitrator for the attorney fee disputes through the San Diego County Bar Association. Kelly graduated from the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWi) Training Institute and is an AWI Certificate Holder (A WI-CH).
Kelly serves on the Board of Directors for Lawyers Club of San Diego, was the former Vice-Chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section of San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) and a graduate of the inaugural SDCBA Leadership Academy.
RATES:
Half Day – $3,000 flat rate: includes 2 hours of preparation (including brief review and pre-mediation Zoom test sessions) and 4 hours of mediation time; $600 per hour thereafter, in ½ hour
Full Day – $6,000 fat rate: includes 2 hours of preparation (including brief review and pre-mediation Zoom test sessions) and 8 hours of mediation time; $600 per hour thereafter, in ½ hour increments
$450 non-refundable administrative fee per party
LEGAL CAREER & PRIOR EXPERIENCE:
- Gemelli Employment Law, San Diego, California (2022 – current)
- Van Dermyden Makus, San Diego, California (2021 – 2022)
- Jackson Lewis, C., Miami, Florida and San Diego, California (2011 – 2021)
- Hiscox, London, In House Counsel (2010)
- Haight, Brown & Bonesteel, LLP, Los Angeles and San Diego, California (2000 – 2010)
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
- State Bar of California
- Lawyers Club of San Diego (2002 to present); Board of Directors (2024 to present)
- National Conflict Resolution Center, Theory and Practice of Mediation (2026)
- Association of Workplace Investigations, AWi-Certificate Holder (2019)
- San Diego County Bar Association (2002 to present); Vice-Chair Labor & Employment Section (2021)
- San Diego County Bar Association Fee Dispute Arbitrator
- California Employment Lawyers Association
- University of San Diego, School of Law, San Diego (2000 Juris Doctor)
- Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (1995 BA, Political Science, Psychology)
- Honors: Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Golden Key Honor Society, Mortar Board Honorary
ADR SPECIALTIES:
- Workplace Disputes
- Wage & Hour
- Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA)
- Class Actions
- Hostile Environment/Harassment/Sexual Harassment
- Wrongful Termination
- Whistleblower/Retaliation
- Leaves of Absences or Accommodations
- ADA, CFRA/FMLA, Disability, Age, Race, Gender, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Pregnancy, National Origin, Military Discrimination
ACHIEVEMENTS & AWARDS:
- Best Lawyers (2024 – present)
- Trained in Trauma-Informed Forensic Interviewing (2021)
- Trained in Foundational Cultural Competence, Certificate (2022)
- Speaker: Pesky (and Expensive) Employment Document Errors You Can’t Afford to Make (Webinar, May 2025)
- Speaker: Mini Law School for California HR Professionals (Webinar, November 2024)
- Speaker:The Ins & Outs of Modern Workplace Investigations & When They are Most Useful, San Diego County Bar Association (San Diego, CA, June 2023)
- Speaker:Best Practices for Neutral Workplace Investigations, San Diego County Bar Association (San Diego, CA November 2022)
TESTIMONIALS:
“Kelly is thorough, detail-orientated, extremely knowledgeable and always professional.”
– Attorney on a Sexual Harassment Case
“Kelly does a great job understanding each side’s perspectives, helping them find common ground.”
– Attorney on a Discrimination and Retaliation Case
“Kelly’s success stems from her ability to build strong bridges.”
– Partner at a Nationwide Law Firm
HOBBIES & INTERESTS:
Kelly lives in San Diego and enjoys traveling, camping, and spending time at the beach and baseball fields with her husband and two sons. She spends her free time playing pickleball and is an avid San Diego Padres fan. She also serves as the President of Friends of Crown Point Junior Music Academy and volunteers time with Professional Alliance for Children and Crawford Academy of Law.