Kelly Guagenty is a compassionate and relentless advocate for survivors of institutional abuse, coercive control, and systemic harm in complex civil cases. Her practice is focused on exposing and holding accountable residential treatment programs, boarding schools, therapeutic institutions, and other organizations operating in closed or high-control environments – settings where abuse is often concealed and power is tightly controlled.

Kelly represents hundreds of survivors across the country in both individual and multi-plaintiff cases. Her work involves claims of sexual abuse, grooming, psychological abuse, forced labor, physical abuse, neglect, and medical mistreatment – often in programs that rely on isolation, control, and manipulation under the guise of care or treatment. 

A large part of Kelly’s current practice centers on the troubled teen industry and other high-control environments, particularly in cases involving coercive control, behavior modification programs, youth transport services, and facilities that separate children from their families while restricting communication and autonomy. Her work often involves uncovering internal policies and practices through discovery, working with former staff and whistleblowers, and connecting the experiences of different survivors.

Interestingly, Kelly began her career working on the defense side of civil litigation, where she gained invaluable insight into how claims are evaluated, defended, and resolved. That experience now informs her approach on behalf of survivors, allowing her to anticipate defense strategies and navigate cases with a deeper understanding of how institutions and insurers respond to these claims.

In addition to her litigation work, Kelly is a frequent speaker and educator. She presents to attorneys and advocates nationwide on trauma-informed intake practices, survivor-centered communication, building and managing multi-plaintiff abuse cases, and litigation strategies for cases arising out of high-control environments. Kelly leads the firm’s trauma-informed training program, developing and delivering ongoing programming for attorneys and staff to ensure that every client interaction is grounded in empathy, respect, and an informed understanding of trauma. Her leadership in this area helps shape the firm’s culture and ensures a consistent, survivor-centered approach.

Kelly serves as Co-Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Anti-Human Trafficking Litigation Group, a role she assumed in 2025. In that role, she collaborates with attorneys across the country on litigation strategies, emerging legal theories, and policy initiatives aimed at holding traffickers and complicit institutions accountable. She has also been actively involved in legislative advocacy at both the state and federal levels aimed at strengthening protections for survivors.

Kelly’s path to this work is grounded in decades of civil litigation experience, but what truly defines her practice is the trust she builds with her clients. She is deeply committed to making sure survivors feel heard, supported, and safe throughout the legal process, while also pursuing meaningful accountability and systemic change.

Outside of her legal work, Kelly enjoys spending time with her husband, Mike, and their two daughters, Cheryl and Macaela. Cheryl is graduating from Arizona State University in spring 2026 with a degree in construction management and will also be commissioned as an officer in the United States Army. Macaela is currently studying business at North Carolina State University. As a family, they love spending time on Cape Cod and are devoted to rescuing senior dogs. Their current “elders,” Muffin (11) and Bubba (10), are beloved members of the family.