Mary Kennelly

Mary Kennelly has over 25 years experience representing individuals before state fair employment agencies, the EEOC and state and federal courts in cases that involve employment discrimination and other denials of employee rights, whistleblower retaliation, and government denial of constitutional civil rights. She has consistently obtained favorable results for her clients through jury verdicts and private settlements. She is named in Best Lawyers: Employment Law – Individuals and Litigation – Labor and Employment.

Education

Bar and Court Admissions

Professional Honors and Associations

Sample Cases

Elestwani v. Nicolet – Jury verdict for employee awarding 1.56 million in damages plus reinstatement in a race and ethnicity discrimination case; Vike v. Rock County - Jury verdict for employee on disability discrimination and 14th Amendment due process claims; Bicknese v. Sutula – Wisconsin Supreme Court decision affirming $375,000 verdict for employee on promissory estoppel claim against state official; Feldman v. Wis. Dept. of Corrections – Jury verdict for six correctional officers on First Amendment whistleblower claims; Cleary v. Federal Express – Trial court ruling denying motion to dismiss and granting right to trial on disability discrimination claim; Zaremba v. Wis. Dept. of Veterans Affairs – Jury verdict for employee on disability discrimination claim and awarding employee back pay and reinstatement; Ready v. Board of Regents – Jury verdict for employee on race discrimination claim, employee awarded damages and tenure track position; Roidt v. American TV – Jury verdict finding for employee on age discrimination claim and awarding back pay; Culver v. Gorman – Published federal appellate decision affirming employee’s right to trial on retaliation claim; Wilson v. Board of Regents – Trial court ruling finding employee was sexually harassed as a matter of law and ordering a trial on damages;  Jordan v. City Cab Co. – Equal Rights Division ruling finding race and national origin discrimination and retaliatory discharge; Hunt /Thomas v. Oscar Mayer – Madison Equal Opportunity Commission ruling for employees on claims of race discrimination in promotion and terms and conditions of employment; Ashford v. Magna Publishing – Madison Equal Opportunity Commission ruling finding sexual orientation discrimination in hiring decision and awarding back pay; An v. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – Federal EEOC decision finding retaliatory discharge and ordering damages and reinstatement; Estate of Rohr v. Brown County – Settlement of  1.5 million in a wrongful death action for violation of a patient’s civil rights; Estate of Heino v. Koehler – Settlement of 1.3 million in a prisoner’s civil rights wrongful death suit.