Richard Kelley

Richard Kelley is the Managing Attorney of DC Volunteer Lawyer Project's Immigration and Child Advocacy Practices, where he regularly trains and supervises volunteer and staff attorneys as Guardians ad Litem and in humanitarian immigration law. In addition, he volunteers as the Legal Director for Center Global (a program of the DC Center for LGBT Community), an organization that focuses on holistic support for LGBTQ asylum seekers and asylees. Prior to joining DCVLP, Richard was a litigation associate DLA Piper LLP and a senior attorney at the DC Affordable Law Firm, where he represented survivors of domestic violence, at-risk children, and asylum seekers. He also has spent time working for juvenile justice reform in Maryland through the National Juvenile Defender Center. In his volunteer time, Richard works with Center Global on behalf of LGBTQ asylum seekers and Whitman Walker through their name-change clinic. Richard has previously spoken on asylum issues for the D.C. Mayor's office and on briefing panels for both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate focused on the asylum process for LGBTQ individuals. He has also written about issues impacting LGBTQ asylum seekers. He received his J.D. and LL.M in International Business and Economic Law and LL.M in Civil Justice from Georgetown University Law Center and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University.

Education

• Juris Doctor; LL.M (International Business and Economic Law); LL.M (Public Advocacy) Georgetown University Law Center (2012 — 2018)
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) Harvard University (2006 — 2010)
• Associate of Arts (AA) Santa Barbara City College (2002 — 2006)

Companies

• Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorneys'​ Offices (2022)
• Judge Advocate United States Army Reserve (2021)
• Adjunct Professor Villanova University (2021)
• Adjunct Instructor American University (2020)
• Founder and Board Chair The Mamelodi Initiative Foundation, Inc (2010)
• Board Member, Concealed Pistol License Review Board Government of the District of Columbia (2021 — 2022)
• Co Legal Director DC Volunteer Lawyers Project (2019 — 2022)
• Legal Program Director, Center Global The DC Center (2017 — 2021)
• Associate DLA Piper (2018 — 2019)