Overview
Kelly is an accomplished trial and appellate lawyer with a track record of achieving favorable outcomes for clients in tribal, state, and federal courts.
Kelly’s practice is focused on civil litigation, including cases of first impression, and encompasses a wide range of areas, including trademark and copyright litigation. She has also cultivated a strong presence in tribal law, working closely with tribal clients on treaty rights, natural resources, and employment-related issues.
Kelly also brings her knowledge and experience to assist clients in disputes involving commercial contracts, unfair competition, defamation, trust and estates, technology transactions, transportation, and real estate.
She has significant bench and jury trial experience in front of a range of tribunals and courts. Her appellate experience includes direct appeals and amicus briefs in state and federal appellate courts around the country.
Kelly is committed to giving back to the community through her active pro bono practice. She is Co-Chair of Foster Garvey’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee, where she leads initiatives aimed at providing legal assistance to those in need.
Prior to joining Foster Garvey, Kelly served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Peter J. Maassen of the Alaska Supreme Court.
Areas of Focus
- Litigation
- Antitrust & Consumer Protection
- Appellate Services
- Copyright, Trademark, Trade Secrets & More
- Environmental & Natural Resources
- Environmental Litigation
- Intellectual Property Litigation
- Intellectual Property, Privacy & Technology
- Labor & Employment Litigation
- Labor, Employment & Immigration
- Real Estate, Land Use & Environmental
- Tribal Governments & Enterprises
Admissions
- Washington, 2017
- Alaska, 2021
- U.S. District Court, District of Alaska
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Education
- J.D., Northwestern University School of Law (magna cum laude), 2016
- Order of the Coif
- Leigh B. Bienen Prize for Excellence in Writing and Research, 2016
- Arlyn Miner Book Award for Persuasive Writing, 2014
- National Trial Team, Captain
- Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Executive Articles and Comment Editor
- B.A., Wellesley College (magna cum laude), 2011
- Phi Beta Kappa
Honors & Recognitions
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch – Litigation – Intellectual Property, 2024-present
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch – Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2022-present
- Rising Star, Washington Super Lawyers, 2025
- Pepper Schubert Barer Public Service Award, 2020
Clerkships
- Honorable Peter J. Maassen, Alaska Supreme Court, 2016-2017
Community Activities
- Seattle Women’s Chorus, Member, 2024-present
- Washington State Wellesley Club, Board Member, 2019-2024
- Secretary, 2019-2023
News & Insights
News
19 Foster Garvey Attorneys Named to the 2025 Washington Super Lawyers Lists; Emily Harris Gant Earns Special Recognition
08.01.25
Foster Garvey Promotes Kelly Mennemeier to Principal
01.01.25
65 Foster Garvey Attorneys Selected to The Best Lawyers in America® 2025, Three Named ‘Lawyer of the Year’
08.15.24
Triumph After Tragedy: A Deported Army Veteran Returns Home After Nearly Three Decades
07.25.24
Summer Associates Team Up With the Truth, Hope & Justice Initiative to Drive Systemic Change
05.31.24
Adrian Winder’s Service to a Domestic Abuse Survivor
10.19.23
57 Foster Garvey Attorneys Recognized Among the 2024 Best Lawyers in America; Two Portland Attorneys Named ‘Lawyer of the Year’
08.17.23
45 Foster Garvey Attorneys Recognized Among The Best Lawyers In America®
08.18.22
Foster Garvey Releases 2021 Pro Bono Report, Celebrates Nearly 4,000 Hours Donated
04.04.22
38 Attorneys Named 2022 Best Lawyers in America; 11 Named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
08.19.21
ACLU of Washington Files Lawsuit Against Washington Department of Licensing for Suspending Licenses of Individuals Who Cannot Afford to Pay Fines for Moving Violations
10.07.20
Seattle Indian Health Board Research Helps Create Government Task Force for Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives
01.07.20
Veterans Previously Denied Disability Benefits Get a Second Chance
11.11.19
Assisting Veterans Previously Denied Benefits
11.01.19
“Petitions We’re Watching,” SCOTUSBlog
05.16.19
Foster Pepper Files Cert Petition to Clarify Patent Eligibility for Computer-Implemented Inventions
03.15.19
Second Chance at Life
01.01.19
Events
CenterForce 2026 IP Strategy Summit
05.20.26
“Copyright Year in Review,” Washington Lawyers for the Arts
10.28.20
“Legal Update Regarding Issues Arising in the Pandemic Environment,” Washington Trucking Associations Webinar
04.27.20
“Is Your Workplace Ready for Washington State’s New Employment Laws?”
05.15.18
Legal Alerts
Supreme Court Limits International Application of the Lanham Act in Abitron Decision
07.12.23
Extended Rights for “High-Risk” Employees in Washington State
07.31.20
Surging Unemployment Claims Pose New Challenges to Employers – Are You Ready?
04.24.20
Updates on the New Federal Paid Sick Leave and Paid Child Care Leave Laws
04.01.20
COVID-19 and the Workplace: What an Employer Should Know About the New Federal Leave Laws
03.24.20
COVID-19 as a Force Majeure: Likely Impacts of the Coronavirus Spread on Transportation Contracts
03.19.20
U.S. Supreme Court Invalidates Law Against Offensive Trademarks
06.24.19
U.S. Department of Labor Issues New Guidelines for For-Profit Corporate Internship Programs
02.08.18
Publications
The Impact of COVID-19 on IP Contracts
04.13.20
“Contracts and Force Majeure,” TransDigest, Volume XXV, Issue No. 265
03.01.20
The Varying Laws Governing Facial Recognition Technology
01.30.20
“Imagining a Role for Artificially Intelligent Juries,” Sacramento County Bar Association
07.01.17
“A Right to Know How You’ll Die: A First Amendment Challenge to State Secrecy Statutes Regarding Lethal Injection Drugs,” Northwestern Law, The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Vol. 107, Issue 3
01.01.17
Connect with Kelly