Partner and family law attorney, Kelly McPherson, advocates for her clients in cases in all areas of family law, to include contested divorces, child custody cases, and cases involving complex issues such as military divorce, relocation, custody cases involving domestic violence, alienation, same-sex marriage, and common law marriage. Kelly also represents clients seeking protection orders who are victims of domestic abuse.
Kelly is a certified mediator, and has advanced training in intimate partner violence, parental alienation, and complex financial cases. She frequently assists unrepresented clients in preparing and filing protection orders. She serves as the treasurer of the El Paso County Bar Family Law section, and works with Colorado Legal Services to represent pro bono clients who cannot afford legal representation. She has published an article on same-sex common law marriage in the Pikes Peak Lawyer, and presented at Colorado Spring’s first annual Family Law Day on the basics for divorce cases. She is currently authoring an article on military spouse education and employment statistics and the impact on spousal support calculations. She is a member of the El Paso County Bar Association, Colorado Bar Association, Colorado Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and the Ben S. Wendelken American Inn of Court.
Prior to practicing law, Kelly was in the United States Air Force for eight years, serving as a federal agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) and as an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the US Air Force Academy. While in AFOSI, Kelly primarily focused on narcotics investigations and operations, as well as sexual assault cases. Kelly is a certified child forensic interviewer, which gives her a nuanced understanding of cases that involve child abuse. She has also received advanced interrogation training with the Reid program, which is a major asset when preparing to cross-examine opposing parties and witnesses.
After serving in AFOSI as a Special Agent, Kelly served as an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at her alma mater, the United States Air Force Academy. While working as a professor, Kelly taught cadets moral philosophy and professional ethics. Additionally, she served as mentor for cadets on conduct probations, served as a commanding officer during basic training, and published a widely-circulated pre-repeal article on the inconsistencies of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
Kelly is a graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. During law school, Kelly clerked for district court judges in Colorado Springs, and served as the secretary for the Student Veteran’s Association. She also received an Excellence Award for her work in Criminal Law. Kelly has a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Syracuse University, where she was a conference moderator at the department’s annual conference and defended her hundred-page thesis on just war theory. Kelly received her undergraduate degree at USAFA, where she lettered in Division 1 cross-country and track all four years, served as a team captain and squadron commander, and received recognition for her academic, military and athletic performance.
In her free time, Kelly enjoys spending time with her family, running, playing soccer, and reading.
