When people hire a lawyer after a catastrophic injury or wrongful death, they are often facing one of the hardest moments of their lives. They need more than legal advice, they need someone they can trust, someone prepared to lead, and someone with the skill and resolve to stand up to powerful corporations, insurers, and institutions.
Walter Kelley has built his entire career doing exactly that.
Walter is the Managing Partner of Bernheim Kelley’s Massachusetts offices and a nationally recognized trial lawyer known for handling high-stakes personal injury, wrongful death, and complex product liability cases. He has earned a reputation for meticulous preparation, courtroom strength, and delivering exceptional results when everything is on the line.
Many cases settle – but the best settlements are often achieved by lawyers who are fully prepared to try the case.
Walter prepares every case from day one as if it will be presented to a jury. That approach creates leverage in negotiations and gives clients confidence that their case will never be undervalued for convenience.
Insurance companies and defense firms know which lawyers are willing to go the distance. Walter’s reputation as a trial lawyer benefits his clients long before trial ever begins.
Jurors respond to lawyers who are authentic, prepared, and credible. Walter’s style is direct, respectful, and grounded in facts. He believes that the strongest advocacy comes from honesty, hard work, and mastering the details.
Clients appreciate that same approach. They know their case matters, their story will be heard, and their lawyer is fully invested in the outcome.
Recognition by Best Lawyers is one of the most respected distinctions in the legal field. For more than four decades, the publication has honored attorneys who exemplify integrity, professional excellence, and dedication to client advocacy. Attorneys cannot buy their way into the list – it is based solely on a rigorous peer-review process, where “the best lawyers know who the best lawyers are.”
“Walter has dedicated his career to seeking justice for those harmed by negligence and dangerous products,” said co-founder Jesse Bernheim. “His recognition in two categories of Best Lawyers in America is a testament not only to his courtroom success, but also to the trust and respect he has earned from peers across the country.”
With decades of experience, Walter Kelley has secured numerous landmark verdicts and settlements, helping families rebuild their lives after devastating injuries. His work in personal injury and product liability cases has also played a vital role in holding corporations accountable and advancing public safety standards.
“This recognition is a great honor, but what matters most to me are the clients and families I’ve had the privilege to represent,” said Kelley. “Any success I’ve achieved is a direct reflection of their strength, trust, and courage in the face of hardship. I’m grateful for the privilege to stand with them and fight for real justice.”
$200,000,000.00 Wrongful Death Jury Verdict against R.J. Reynolds – Suffolk Superior Court in Boston, MA
$35,000,000.00 Settlement on behalf of a patient who was catastrophically injured by a defective medical device. [Confidential]
$15,000,000.00 Settlement on behalf of a young man who suffered a serious brain injury in a motor vehicle accident. [Confidential]
$1,800,000.00 Wrongful Death Settlement on behalf of family of patient who died as a result of negligence by an Emergency Room Doctor at a community hospital in Massachusetts. [Confidential]
$21,000,000.00 Wrongful Death Jury Verdict against Phillip Morris, USA – Suffolk Superior Court in Boston, MA. The verdict was upheld by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. With accrued interest the total amount recovered was in excess of $31,000,000.00
$3,900,000.00 Defective Products Liability Settlement on behalf of a consumer who suffered serious injuries as a result of an over-the-counter health product. Manufacturer of the product paid the settlement without the need of protracted litigation.
$2,000,000.00 Construction Accident Settlement on behalf of a worker who became disabled as a result of a workplace accident. Insurer for the Company of negligent party paid the settlement. [Confidential]
$500,000.00 Dog Bite Settlement on behalf of a woman who was bitten by her boyfriend’s dog. Boyfriend’s homeowner insurance policy issued their policy limits.
$1,000,000.00 Car Accident Settlement on behalf of driver who was seriously injured as a result of negligence by another driver in Massachusetts. Insurer for the negligent driver paid their policy limits after investigating the claim but prior to litigation. [Confidential]
Attorney Walter Kelley served as trial counsel in two of the most important tobacco cases in Massachusetts. In 2019, Attorney Kelley won a $21 million verdict against Philip Morris in the case of Laramie v. Philip Morris USA, Inc., for causing the lung cancer and death of his client Fred Laramie. The Laramie verdict included a punitive damages award that was subsequently upheld in an important ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court.
In 2023, in the case of Jones v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Attorney Kelley secured a $200 million jury verdict against R.J. Reynolds for causing the lung cancer and death of his client, Rita Jones.
Federal judges do not appoint lawyers to leadership roles in Multi-District Litigation because of their marketing budget. They appoint attorneys who have demonstrated the sophistication, work product quality, and judgment to handle high-stakes complex litigation affecting thousands of people.
Attorney Kelley has taken a leadership role in important Multi-District Litigation before the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. Most recently he was appointed by the Honorable Patti B. Saris to serve as Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel in MDL No. 3029 – In Re: Covidien Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation. The MDL focuses on nine Covidien hernia mesh products which Plaintiffs allege are biologically incompatible with human tissue, causing chronic immune responses, infections, adhesions, fistulas, organ perforation, and migration.
Walter was appointed to serve as co-lead counsel by the Honorable Indira Talwani in MDL No. 2768 – In Re Stryker LFIT V40 Femoral Head Products Liability Litigation. Attorney Kelley took a vanguard role in the developing Stryker LFIT V40 hip implant litigation. In this regard, his firm was among the first firms in the country to initiate lawsuits against Stryker alleging the company failed to adequately design and test their device to ensure that it would not corrode, erode, deteriorate, fracture (disassociate) and induce severe metal ion poisoning in patients. In addition to leading the recently formed MDL, his firm is also aggressively litigating against Stryker in South Florida and Massachusetts state courts.
Walter leads a consortium of law firms in Massachusetts litigating individual products liability claims against Big Tobacco. The majority of their clients are victims of lung cancer after many years of a heavy smoking addiction.
Mr. Kelley was appointed to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee (PEC) by the Honorable Dennis F. Saylor, IV in MDL No. 2657 – In Re Zofran (Ondansetron) Products Liability Litigation. The MDL was consolidated before Judge Saylor in Boston – USDC, District of Massachusetts. His firm represents families across the country against GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) related to their blockbuster anti-nausea drug Zofran and congenital birth defects alleged to have been caused by their fraudulent misrepresentations to prescribing physicians about the safety profile of this drug for pregnant women.
Walter was appointed to serve as co-lead counsel by the Honorable Maynard Kirpilani in the In Re: Consolidated Fresenius Dialysis Products Liability Litigation (MICV-2013-05050-C). As co-lead counsel responsible for over 8,000 claimants, he worked collaboratively to oversee what turned out to be one of the most complex mass tort litigations in recent history. The work product ultimately produced in that litigation has been described by many prolific mass tort attorneys as one of the best overall trial packages they have ever received.
When the stakes are high, experienced attorneys know that not every case can be handled the same way.
Some cases require more than routine litigation. They require a clear trial strategy, aggressive execution, and counsel with a proven ability to command respect from insurance companies, corporate defendants, and the defense bar.
That is where we come in.
Lawyers across Massachusetts and beyond bring us into their most serious injury and wrongful death cases when the exposure is significant, liability is contested, damages are substantial, or the defense refuses to offer fair value.
They do so for one reason:
Results matter – and so does reputation.
Insurance carriers evaluate risk. Defense lawyers assess who is on the other side of the file. They know which firms posture and which firms prepare cases for verdict.
When we enter a case, the dynamic changes.
Our involvement signals that the matter will be developed aggressively, tried strategically, and taken to verdict if justice requires it. That changes how cases are valued, how negotiations unfold, and how seriously offers are made.
The best outcomes are rarely created at mediation. They are built months earlier through disciplined litigation strategy.
That means:
This is why many referring counsel bring us in early, because leverage is created through preparation, not last-minute appearances.
We prepare every serious case as if it will be tried.
That mindset matters. Insurance companies know the difference between lawyers hoping for settlement and lawyers ready for verdict.
Our courtroom experience, trial record, and willingness to go the distance often create the leverage needed to resolve cases at full and fair value. When that does not happen, we are prepared to let a jury decide.
When attorneys bring us into a case, we do not replace relationships, we strengthen them.
We work collaboratively with referring counsel, respect the trust they have built with their clients, and add trial depth, strategic firepower, and courtroom credibility where it matters most.
If you are handling a catastrophic injury, wrongful death, complex liability, or other high-exposure matter and want to maximize its value, we welcome the opportunity to discuss working together.
