Attorneys / Kelly A. Putney
Kelly A. Putney
Senior Counsel
Practice Groups
Business & Commercial, Cybersecurity & Artificial Intelligence, Data Privacy, Lawyers Professional Liability, Medical & Healthcare Providers, Nonprofits, Organizational Liability for Sexual Misconduct/Abuse, Professional Liability
Biography
Kelly Putney is a professional liability litigator who has helped clients navigate and prevent malpractice actions for nearly 30 years. Also experienced in other types of proceedings including investigations, arbitrations and licensing matters, Kelly is a true professionals’ lawyer, having represented and counseled hundreds of health care providers, lawyers, insurance agents and brokers, real estate agents, architects, and accountants. Most recently, Kelly successfully defended a family practice physician in a birth injury trial, where plaintiff sought tens of millions of dollars in damages.
Kelly was named the 2025 Minneapolis Professional Malpractice Law-Defendants Lawyer of the Year and the 2022 Minneapolis Legal Malpractice Law-Defendants Lawyer of the Year by The Best Lawyers in America©. She is also recognized for Personal Injury Litigation and Medical Malpractice Law. She has been selected as a Minnesota Super Lawyer and a Top 50 Female Minnesota Super Lawyer numerous times. Kelly is also a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America and has served as a Hennepin County Conciliation Court Judge.
Kelly recently served as the firm’s Chief Operating Officer and as Chair of its Professional Liability Practice Group.
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 1993
- Gustavus Adolphus College, B.S., magna cum laude, 1990
Bar Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
- Minnesota
- Tribal Court of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
Representative Cases
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of law firm client in family partnership dispute.
- Secured directed verdict for lawyer clients in legal malpractice matter.
- Obtained decision sustaining summary judgment as a matter of law in favor of large insurance broker in case alleging negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
- Obtained trial victory for large insurance company in contract dispute with former agent.
- Obtained summary judgment for large hospital client in case involving alleged sexual assault by patient.
Publications
- Minnesota’s Developing Law on the AIA Waiver of Subrogation Provision, author, Constructive Comment Newsletter, October 31, 2001
- Application of Waiver of Subrogation Provision in Minnesota, author, 1999
Seminars
- Minnesota’s CANDOR Act, presenter, University of Minnesota-Physicians In-house Counsel Forum, July 20, 2023
- Thapa v. St. Cloud Orthopedics Associates, Ltd., presenter, Lathrop GPM Health Law Seminar, September 22, 2022
- Mindful Moments: Engaging in the Present Through Practice, panelist, Bassford Remele Ethics Seminar, June 16, 2022
- What if You Get Hit By a Truck? aka Succession Planning is for Everyone, co-presenter, Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company Defense Panel Seminar, Chaska, MN, August 6, 2019
- Leading and Succeeding, presenter, Managing Partners’ Panel, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association Women in the Law Committee, Minneapolis, MN, September 18, 2018
- Legal Malpractice, presenter, Minnesota Legal Ethics Summit VIII, Minneapolis, MN, June 8, 2018
- You Are Hereby Commanded: How to Respond When a Subpoena Is Served on YOU, presenter, 2016 Legal Ethics Summit VI, Minneapolis, MN, June 1, 2016
- Bias: A Look at the Everyday Impacts, presenter, Bassford Remele Spring Seminar, May 5, 2016
- What I Learned from Trying My Biggest Case, presenter, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, Medical Liability and Health Care Law Committee Meeting, April 21, 2016
Professional Achievements
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
Bar Associations
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Civil Litigation Section
- Health Law Section
- State Bar of Wisconsin
- Hennepin County Bar Association
Professional Associations
- Professional Liability Defense Federation
- DRI
- Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
- Board of Directors, 2008-2010
- Editorial Committee, 2003-2013
- Minnesota Hospital Association
Civic Involvement
- Hennepin County Conciliation Court, Judge, 2003-2018
- People Serving People, volunteer
Honors & Awards
- Best Lawyers, Minneapolis Professional Malpractice Law-Defendants Lawyer of the Year, 2025
- Best Lawyers, Minneapolis Legal Malpractice Law-Defendants Lawyer of the Year, 2022
- The Best Lawyers in America, Professional Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation, 2010-present; Medical Malpractice Law, 2020-present
- Top Lawyers list, Minnesota Monthly, Legal Malpractice Law and Professional Malpractice Law,2022-2023; Medical Malpractice Law, 2022-2023 and 2025
- Minnesota Super Lawyers Top 50 Female list, Super Lawyers, 2010-2014 and 2017
- Minnesota Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers, 2004, 2005, 2009-present
- Minnesota Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers, 1999, 2001-2002
- Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell® – Judicial Edition, 2022
