Kitanya Kelly, Esq. Email & Phone Number

United States

New York, New York

Brooklyn, New York

• Represented clients with immigration matters, including Alien Relative Petitions, Adjustment of Status, Consular Processing, Naturalization/Citizenship, Permanent Residence Cards Replacements, Removal of Conditions on.
• Supervised and trained Immigration Assistants and Interns as it relates to filing and case preparation

New York, New York

• Represented clients in uncontested divorces
• Conducted client interview

New York, New York

• Prepared petitions and applications for Nepali foreign nationals for Temporary Protected Status (Form I-821)
• Researched and advised clients on bankruptcy options pursuant to United States Bankruptcy Code 11 U.S.C. §7
• Conducted client interviews

Kingston, Jamaica

• Compiled information for petitions brought to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on behalf of families of Jamaican citizens who lost their lives at the hands of government agents
• Prepared and drafted detention reports for the IACHR and affidavits in support of fixed date claim forms
• Performed legal research, conducted client interviews, and observed matters in Coroner’s Court

Kingston, Jamaica

• Conducted research on child maintenance, division of property, stay of execution, and assessment of damages
• Drafted applications, orders, and submissions on division of property interviewed clients and recorded witness statements

Greater New York City Area

• Counseled individuals seeking information about U.S. citizenship and staffed a hotline to provide limited scope advice on matters
• Prepared applications for Naturalization (Form N-400) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
• Reviewed applications, criminal certificates of disposition and records of proceedings to assess the risk of removability

Bronx, New York

• Co-facilitated family disputes involving minor children and their parent(s), and noise complaints
• Mediation successfully resulted in settlement agreements

New Jersey Superior Court

• Researched criminal and evidentiary issues for Wade hearings, and impermissibly suggestive identification procedures
• Drafted Orders and Memoranda of decisions for motions: for post-conviction relief, to suppress evidence, suppress statements, and to reduce sentence

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Successfully defended a simple assault case that resulted in a dismissal based on a finding of a 5th Amendment violation
• Analyzed various criminal legal issues, drafted and filed pleadings, interviewed clients and witnesses, and performed crime scene investigations
• Represented indigent clients in D.C. Superior Court for misdemeanor criminal cases, appeared in court for arraignments, pre-trial detention hearing, and status hearings
• Organized and instructed a Community Outreach Street Law Program to educate high school students on their 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendment Rights

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Drafted Government’s reply brief submitted to the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) regarding whether the NMCCA applied the wrong standard by presuming prejudice in support of litigation matters
• Researched and drafted motions related to constitutional, criminal, and military law in support of litigation matters in Appellate Government Division's criminal cases

Cape Town, South Africa

• Conducted comparative research on the South African Constitution and international humanitarian law on the treatment of prisoners to prevent human rights violation in the correctional system

Juris Doctor, Law

Activities and Societies: Student Attorney - Howard University School of Law Criminal Justice Clinic, Council on Legal Education.

Legal Education Certificate (L.E.C.), Law

B.A., English

Activities and Societies: Caribbean Student Organization, President.