Kelly began practicing law in December 2011 after spending 8 years as a paralegal. Like Abraham Lincoln, Kelly learned about law by reading. Rather than attending law school, Kelly was a Rule 6 Law Clerk. As a clerk, she worked full-time as a paralegal and in her spare time, and with the assistance of Lee, her mentor, she studied the law on her own. The Rule 6 Program is a four-year program and is operated by the Washington State Bar Association.

Prior to beginning her career in the law, Kelly worked as the Project Director for the Washington State Community Action Partnership, which is a non-profit organization working on behalf of 30 non-profit organizations across Washington helping low-income individuals and families. Kelly earned her paralegal certificate as well as her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington. Kelly majored in Political Science and Communications with a minor in Women Studies.

Kelly is a member of the Washington State Bar Association, King County Bar Association (KCBA), and the Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ). She serves on the Public Affairs Committee for WSAJ, the Development Committee for WSAJ, and is the chair of the Seattle Round Table for WSAJ. She has also served on the Lawyer Referral Service for the KCBA and was a volunteer for the KCBA Family Law Mentorship Program.