Kelley B. Hodge

427 E. Durham StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19119 |Home: 215-242-1614 | Cell: 215-901-9986

Trial Attorney

Experienced Trial Attorney with 14+ years of courtroom experience handling a wide variety of criminal cases of varying levels of severity. Proven litigator with managerial experience as both a Senior Assistant Public Defender and as an Assistant District Attorney. Teaching professional with experience as a Mentor, Instructor of newly hired Attorneys and Legal Interns, CLE Instructor, and Adjunct Professor of Law. Licensed to practice law in the Commonwealths of Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Experience

Safe Schools Advocate

Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Philadelphia, PA

December 2011-present

  • Appointed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett to serve as the advocate for victims of crime and violence in the School District of Philadelphia. As the Safe Schools Advocate, I am tasked with assuring the accuracy of the school district’s reporting crime data, advocating for those who have been victimized by crime while at school, working with the school district to implement strategies and eliminating barriers that impede improving school safety.
  • Address the concerns of parents/guardians, students and teachers who have been victimized or witnessed the victimization of a person in a school-based setting. Attend juvenile court proceedings, school district disciplinary proceedings and in school mediations in response to an act of violence or a threat. Outreach to schools, parents, legislators, and the community to promote communication and facilitate the implementation of prevention strategies that serve to improve the overall safety schools. Subject areas addressed: bullying, harassment, aggravated assault of students and/or teachers, weapons, possession with intent to deliver narcotics, terroristic threats, sexual assault and any other threats to school climate.
  • Submit an annual report to the Chairs of the Pennsylvania House and Senate Committees on Education of my findings based upon data received from the School District of Philadelphia and make recommendations on policies and/or legislative amendments that will serve to enhance school safety.

Assistant Chief, Juvenile Court Unit

District Attorney’s Office, Philadelphia, PA

November 2010– November 2011

  • Assisted with supervising 17Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs) as they handle a variety of misdemeanor and felony trials and preliminary hearings in the juvenile courts. Cases include rape, aggravated assault, robbery, possession of a firearm, and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. ADAs also handle preliminary hearings for adult on juvenile crimes which frequently consist of rape, child abuse and indecent assault. Provided guidance and instruction on trial strategy and sentencing recommendations.
  • Served as a liaison between the District Attorney’s Office and the Juvenile Court Judiciary collaborating on solutions to improve the efficiency of the courts. Maintained a relationship with the community to address the high number of at risk youth and to try to reduce the level of violent crime committed by juveniles and assaults on juveniles. Maintained an integral working relationship with the juvenile department of probation and parole, court administration and department of human services.

Chief, Municipal Court Unit

District Attorney’s Office, Philadelphia, PA

January 2010-November 2010

  • Supervised one of the largest units within the District Attorney’s Office prior to organizational restructuring to a zone prosecution model in the trial division. Personnel included 30+ entry level ADAs, one Assistant Chief, two paralegals, two administrative assistants, and four members of the victim services division assigned to the unit. The Municipal Court Unit handled over seventy thousand (70,000) cases per year ranging from misdemeanor offenses of simple assault and possession of a controlled substance to felony preliminary hearings on attempted murders, robberies and possession with intent to deliver controlled substances. Maintained constant accessibility for the ADAs assigned to the unit as well as the Judiciary and all other members of the various divisions in the office.
  • Served in an administrative capacity as a representative for the District Attorney in meetings with the judiciary from the Municipal Court, the Court of Common Pleas, community organizations, City Council, and State Legislative Representatives. Integrally involved in off site meetings in New York City to study and assist in the drafting of a plan to implement a comprehensive community court model in Philadelphia mirroring Red Hook in Brooklyn and Midtown in Manhattan.
  • Oversaw and staffed the one of the first Veterans’ Courts in the United States implementing policy and procedure on how to address misdemeanor criminal cases committed by Veterans through a diversion court process. Additionally, personally staffed or oversaw three other diversion courts dealing with the mentally ill, repeat offenders of DUI and prostitution. Participated in the planning and implementation of two newly created diversion courts that divert cases involving small amounts of marijuana (SAM court) and low level misdemeanor cases (AMP court).
  • Coordinated training efforts and taught all newly hired ADAs as well as summer interns (fifteen new hires and over twenty summer interns).

Adjunct Professor of Law

Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law, Philadelphia, PA

May 2010-August 2010

  • Taught a Lawyering Practice Seminar on prosecution. Students were all assigned to a prosecutor’s office for the summer to work as interns. The seminar served to compliment the internship and further analyze the role and ethical duties specific to prosecutors. The framework of the course was Rule 3.8 of the ABA Rules of Professional Conduct which specifies the special ethical responsibilities of a prosecutor.

Assistant Chief, Municipal Court Unit

District Attorney's Office, Philadelphia, PA

January 2007 – January 2010

  • Co-supervised a unit of approximately 30+ ADAs that handled approximately 70,000 cases per year. Instructed, advised and guided newly hired ADAs in trial strategy, case analysis, courtroom etiquette and procedure. Followed through on intensive trial advocacy training with yearlong supplemental instruction inside and outside of the courtroom. Observed ADAs in court. Served as a liaison between the District Attorney’s Office and the bench of the Municipal Court. Provided constant feedback to the ADAs. Reviewed files for content and disposition. Assessed negative dispositions for possible re-filing of the criminal complaint. Advised ADAs on factors to consider in developing an offer or making a sentencing recommendation.
  • Prosecuted specially assigned cases involving high profile defendants and / or complainants. Formulated offers. Served as an on-call contact for the Accident Investigation Division of the Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia International Airport and all detective divisions regarding non-fatal shootings (rotating basis).Addressed complaints and concerns from the community as needed. Supervised ADAs and approved offers on-site during the Fugitive Safe Surrender Initiative.

Assistant District Attorney

District Attorney's Office, Philadelphia, PA

January 2004 – January 2007

  • Prosecuted a variety of criminal cases in the Municipal Courts and the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia. Assigned to various units within the office beginning in the Municipal Court Unit and progressing through to the Juvenile Court Unit, Felony Waiver Unit, and Repeat Offender Unit.
  • Handled a caseload of approximately 150 cases per week which included misdemeanor trials and felony preliminary hearings. Handled cases ranging from the possession and sale of narcotics and petty theft to aggravated assault and robbery. Argued pre-trial and post-trial motions. Tried cases to the bench as well as to a jury. Met with and prepared detectives, police officers and victims for trial. Evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of all cases based on their individual merits. Met with supervisors and colleagues to discuss, give, and receive advisement on the best trial strategy for cases.

Senior Assistant Public Defender

Public Defender's Office, Richmond, VA

May 1997 - December 2003

  • Supervised several Assistant Public Defenders based on courtroom assignments. Served as a liaison between my office and the Court regarding any administrative or professional concerns of the Court with persons I supervised.
  • Represented indigent clients in various criminal cases ranging from petit larceny to first degree murder. Argued cases before the Richmond General District Courts, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts and the Circuit Courts, on numerous issues. Handled an average caseload of eight to ten felonies and misdemeanors per day. Prepared cases from arraignment, through preliminary hearing to trial. Advised clients as to the procedure of the criminal justice system and possible outcomes of their case. Conducted pre-trial investigation. Met with clients at various penal institutions around the Commonwealth. Maintained an accessible and professional relationship with members of the Bench and fellow members of the Bar.

Education
University of Richmond, T.C.Williams School of Law, Richmond, VA
May 1996 Juris Doctorate

Honors: Recipient, the McCaul, Martin Evans and Cook Scholarship; Vice-President, Black Law Student's Association; Vice-President, Student Bar Association
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
May 1993 Bachelor of Arts, Foreign Affairs and Spanish Languageand Literature
Honors: Vice-President, University of Virginia Student Council (1993); Recipient, Distinguished Student Award (1993); Member, Order of Omega National Honor Fraternity (1993)

Activities and Interests

Appointed Member, Interstate Compact for Juveniles Pennsylvania State Council, 2014- present

Select Member, Joint State Commission on Violence Prevention, 2013

Member, Office of the Mayor of Philadelphia Subcommittee on Re-entry and Recidivism, 2012-present

Member, Board of Directors, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, 2012- present

Hiring Committee Member / On-Campus Recruiter, Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (2006 – Present)

Panelist/Instructor, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE - Fundamentals of Driving Under Influence (2010)

Panelist/Instructor, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE - Fundamentals of Criminal Law (2010)

Member, Philadelphia Bar Association

Member, Habitat for Humanity Family Selection Committee (2005-2008)

Advisor/Coach, Mt. St. Joseph Academy Mock Trial Team (2006, 2009)

President, Richmond Criminal Bar Association (2003-2004)

Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.