Kelly Berkell is a partner in the firm’s Threat Assessment and Management Services practice. She is a nationally recognized lawyer at the intersection of law, security, and public policy. She brings a unique and timely practice to PLG, advising on multi-disciplinary targeted violence and terrorism prevention efforts. These include behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) in the community, education, and employment sectors; terrorism prevention; and legal frameworks relevant to targeted violence prevention more generally.

Kelly has spent much of her career helping governments, nonprofits, schools, and community organizations navigate the complex legal issues that arise when preventing targeted violence. She serves as the founding Executive Director of the Center on American Law and Extremism (CALE), where she has launched research, training, and policy initiatives supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other agencies. She also serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Center on Terrorism at John Jay College of Criminal Justice,  where she teaches courses on terrorism, organized crime, and homeland security.  

Kelly’s practice at PLG affords guidance for clients on the legal dimensions of standing up and operating threat assessment and management teams—issues that touch information privacy in health care and education (HIPAA, FERPA, and corresponding state laws), workplace violence prevention, standards of care in BTAM, governance and best practices, criminal justice, and constitutional law. She trains and collaborates with practitioners across New York and beyond, and has delivered presentations through DHS and New York State’s Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services (DHSES). Kelly writes extensively on terrorism prevention, sentencing, and compliance challenges.

Earlier in her career, Kelly practiced litigation at leading firms in New York and Boston, where she represented financial institutions, hedge funds, and multinational corporations in regulatory investigations and complex disputes. She also served as Legislative Counsel in the New York State Assembly, where she drafted legislation and represented lawmakers in federal appellate proceedings.

She is published in in the Harvard National Security Journal, the Journal for Deradicalization, and the Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, among other publications. She is a frequent speaker at national and international forums, including previous presentations for the Eradicate Hate Global Summit, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, and the U.S. Department of State.

Bringing a rare blend of litigation, policy experience, and subject-matter expertise, Kelly is among only a handful of private attorneys nationwide positioned to advise clients on the fast-evolving legal landscape of threat assessment, terrorism prevention, and extremism.

Publications and Speeches

Publications

  • A Criminological Approach to Preventing Terrorism: Situational Crime Prevention and the Crime Prevention Literature, in Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, November 2020, available here. 
  • Risk Reduction in Terrorism Cases: Sentencing and the Post-Conviction Environment, Journal for Deradicalization, Issue 13, December 2017, available here.
  • Off-Ramp Opportunities in Material Support Cases, Harvard National Security Journal, Volume 8, Issue 1, February 2017), available here.
  • The Case for Delisting the PKK as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, Lawfare, with David Phillips, February 2016, available here.

 Presentations

  • Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management in Focus: Legal and Compliance Considerations, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Threat Evaluation and Reporting Program Office, September 2025.
  • Evolutions in Terrorism: When Child Exploitation Becomes a Tool of Violent Extremism, Closed Briefing on Counter Terrorism, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, July 2025.
  • Building the Northeast Network: The Way Forward to Prevent Terrorism and Targeted Violence, New York, NY, April 2025
  • Eradicate Hate Global Summit, Pittsburgh, PA, October 2024.
  • Legal Compliance Issues in Threat Assessment and Management, New York State Threat Assessment and Management Team Summit, Albany, NY, October 2024.
  • Practical Experiences of Governmental CVE Work, Konex, International Specialist Conference: Governmental Disengagement and Deradicalization Work within an International Context, Stuttgart, Germany, July 2024.
  •  God, Guns and Sedition: Terrorism Prevention & Applications for Journalists, May 2024.
  • Legal Considerations in Implementing Prevention Strategies and Plans, Building the Northeast Network: A Regional Symposium to Prevent Domestic Terrorism and Targeted Violence, New York, NY, April 2024
  • New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services, Domestic Terrorism Prevention Unit Webinar, January 2024.
  • Eradicate Hate Global Summit, Pittsburgh, PA, September 2023.
  • Compliance Considerations for Practitioners Working to Prevent Targeted Violence, New York State Frontline Practitioner Training with Moonshot, New York, NY, September 2023.
  • Partnering Against Hate, Extremism, and Violence: A Regional Prevention Symposium, hosted by John Jay College (Center on Terrorism) in partnership with U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Center for Prevention Programs & Partnerships, New York, NY, March 2023.
  • Countering Violent Extremism: Media and Messaging Strategies, A Project for Tajikistan, U.S. Department of State, International Visitor Leadership Program, New York, NY, May 2019.
  • Risk Reduction in Terrorism Cases: Sentencing and the Post-Conviction Environment, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, Washington, D.C., April 2017.
  • Risk Reduction Measures in Charging and Sentencing Terrorism Offenses, On the Issues podcast, Episode 20, with Alon Ben-Meir of New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, March 2017. Available here.
  • Engaging Diverse Populations and Refugee Communities to Counter Violent Extremism, U.S. Department of State, Program on Combating International Crime through Global Cooperation, New York, NY, May 2016.
  • New York State Accredited Continuing Legal Education Presentations (Allen & Overy, New York, NY)
    • Internal Investigations/Sarbanes-Oxley/SEC Litigation, November 17, 2005, with Jacob Pultman
    • Introduction to SEC Investigations, October 26, 2005
    • Basics of Citation and Support in Brief-Writing: The Bluebook and Beyond, December 8, 2004, with Nevis Bregasi

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Advisory Group Member, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Extremism in Public Safety (March 2025-present)
  • Barnard College, Columbia University; Alumnae Admissions Representative, 2019-2023, 2025-present
  • League of Women Voters, New York, Member, 2010-2023
  • Hate Crimes Committee Chair, District Attorney-Elect Mimi Rocah, Transition Team (November 2020-January 2021)
    • Drafted report and recommendations on addressing hate crimes and hate incidents for the Westchester County DA’s Office; chaired meetings for seven-member committee
  • Member, Research Consortium on Hate and Extremism, Anti-Defamation League (2018-2021)
  • Center on National Security at Fordham Law (CNS)
    • Women’s Group Participant, 2019-2021
    • Participant in Proxy Workshop, From Facts to Accountability: The Challenges of Non-State Alliances, November 5, 2018
  • Discussion Series Participant, Countering Violent Extremism in Kosovo, Program on Peacebuilding and Rights, Columbia University, Institute for the Study of Human Rights and the Harriman Institute; sessions held in 2016
  • Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York, Moot Court Judge, 2007-2009

News, Events & Insights

Education

  • New York University School of Law, J.D.
  • Barnard College, Columbia University, B.A., cum laude

Previous Experience

  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice Masters Program, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)
  • Litigation Associate, Allen & Overy LLP

Admissions

  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York

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