Bio

Kelly Popkin

Kelly Popkin became a civil rights lawyer because she believes the law should protect people from abuse, not shield those who wield power without accountability. Throughout her career, she has represented individuals facing some of the most severe forms of government and institutional misconduct, from transgender women subjected to violence in prison, to people wrongfully convicted and incarcerated, to protesters and immigrant communities whose constitutional rights have been violated. Her work is driven by a commitment to ensuring that every person, regardless of status or circumstance, is treated with dignity under the law.

Kelly has built her civil rights practice around taking on difficult cases against powerful institutions. She has litigated cases across the country involving police brutality, wrongful convictions, unconstitutional prison conditions, disability discrimination, LGBTQ+ rights, and violations of constitutional protections. Kelly has worked at multiple national nonprofits and law firms, where she helped secure significant victories for incarcerated individuals and other vulnerable populations. She has argued multiple precedential appeals in federal courts, participated in groundbreaking civil rights litigation, and helped obtain justice for clients whose voices had too often been ignored.

Among her victories is an $8 million federal jury verdict for a Massachusetts man who spent nearly sixteen years in prison after police fabricated evidence, suppressed exculpatory information, and helped secure a wrongful conviction. The verdict held officers accountable for misconduct that stole years from her client’s life and underscored the vital role civil rights litigation plays in exposing governmental wrongdoing.

A graduate of Harvard Law School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Kelly brings both legal and public health perspectives to her advocacy. Whether representing an individual client or pursuing broader systemic reform, she approaches each case with the belief that litigation can be a powerful tool for accountability and social change. She is proud to stand alongside clients who challenge injustice and fight for a more equitable legal system.