RALEIGH, NC — Cordell & Cordell, the nation’s largest family law firm* with offices throughout the U.S., recently named new partners to their leadership team for 2025.
Ms. Kelly received both her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before law school, she worked for the Guardian ad Litem program in Durham, N.C., a program that advocates for abused and neglected children in the court system. Ms. Kelly practiced family law for two years at a family law firm in Charlotte before joining Cordell & Cordell’s Raleigh area offices in 2012. During her time with Cordell & Cordell, Ms. Kelly became a board-certified specialist in family law through the North Carolina State Bar. Fewer than 5% of lawyers are board-certified specialists in family law in North Carolina, a designation achieved through peer review and a written examination. There are fewer than 300 such specialists in North Carolina, and Ms. Kelly has held this certification for 8 years.
In 2019, Ms. Kelly relocated to London, England, where she served as the Regional Managing Attorney and Solicitor for Cordell’s first international office. While in London, Ms. Kelly became a solicitor qualified to practice in England and Wales, a designation achieved through written examination and rigorous skills testing over the course of a year. Ms. Kelly returned to Cordell & Cordell’s Raleigh office in 2022 and continues to be licensed to practice in North Carolina, Wales, and the U.K.
“I genuinely want to help make the experience of ending a marriage as painless as possible for my clients, especially when children are involved,” Ms. Kelly said. “Of course, if I feel that my client is being treated unfairly, I’ll work aggressively and intelligently to set that right.”
Ms. Kelly’s professional associations include:
• North Carolina Bar Association
• Board Certified Specialist in family law through the North Carolina Bar
Stephanie has presented to fellow attorneys at a National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education seminar titled “Handling Divorce Cases from Start to Finish.”
Celebrating 35 years of serving the community since 2025, Cordell & Cordell is the largest family law firm* in the United States, with 300+ attorneys having served more than 250,000 clients over the last 35 years.
The firm’s Raleigh area offices are located at 4000 Westchase Blvd. Suite 350, Raleigh, NC 27607, and can be contacted by phone on weekdays, 8:30 am-5:30 pm at 919-334-9900.
To locate a Cordell & Cordell family law attorney in your area, visit CordellCordell.com/attorneys
Written by Joseph E. Cordell
Joseph E. Cordell is the Principal Partner at Cordell and Cordell, P.C., which he founded in 1990 with his wife, Yvonne. Over the past 25 years, the firm has grown to include more than 100 offices in 30 states, as well as internationally in the United Kingdom. Mr. Cordell is licensed to practice in the states of Illinois and Missouri and received his LL.M. from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Joseph E. Cordell was named one of the Top 10 Best Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction in Missouri.
