
Hilliard F. "Trey" Kelly
Hilliard F. “Trey” Kelly has practiced civil litigation in Louisiana and Texas for more than twenty-six years. His practice focuses on insurance defense, landlord-tenant law, premises liability, personal injury litigation, trucking and transportation claims, commercial litigation, and ERISA-related matters. Throughout his career, Trey has represented insurers, property owners, manufacturers, employers, and businesses in state and federal courts throughout Louisiana and Texas.
Trey is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University and the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University, where he served as a member of the Louisiana Law Review. He is licensed to practice in Louisiana and Texas and is admitted before numerous state and federal courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
In addition to his legal practice, Trey served as an officer in the Louisiana and Texas Army National Guard. During his military career, he completed two combat deployments to Iraq as an Army aviator and retired after more than twenty years of service. His military decorations include two Bronze Star Medals, the Air Medal, the Combat Action Badge, two Army Commendation Medals, and the Army Achievement Medal.
Practice Areas
Landlord & Tenant Law; Insurance Defense; Premises Liability; Personal Injury Litigation; Trucking & Transportation; Commercial Litigation; ERISA Litigation; Products Liability; General Civil Litigation
Education
J.D., 1998
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University
Member, Louisiana Law Review
B.A. in Criminal Justice, 1995
Southeastern Louisiana University
Cum Laude
Admitted
Louisiana, 1998
Texas, 2010
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana
United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana
United States District Courts for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas
Memberships
Louisiana State Bar Association
State Bar of Texas
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 5735
Combat Helicopter Pilots Association
Former Member, International Claims Association Disability Committee
Recognition & Publications
AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Presenter and lecturer on ERISA and disability benefits litigation
Author, Louisiana’s “Megan’s Law”: The Need for a Principled Approach, 58 Louisiana Law Review 1075 (1998)
Sample Reported Cases
Olivier Plantation, L.L.C. v. Parish of St. Bernard, 151 So.3d 965 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2014)
Scott v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of America, 80 So.3d 740 (La. App. 2 Cir. 2011)
State v. Ford Motor Co., 965 So.2d 438 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2007)
Edwards v. Ford Motor Co., 934 So.2d 221 (La. App. 3 Cir. 2006)
Poch v. Unum Grp., CIV.A. 12-1878, 2013 WL 4404183 (W.D. La. Aug. 15, 2013)
Voelkel McWilliams Const., LLC v. 84 Lumber Co., CIV.A. 13-6789, 2015 WL 4392899 (E.D. La. July 17, 2015)
