Kelly D. Ellsworth
Identity
| Field | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Kelly Daniel Ellsworth | SCBA |
| Bar Number | P78595 | Same |
| Firm | Shinners & Ellsworth, PLC | shinnersandellsworth.com |
| Address | 60 Harrow Ln, Ste. 4, Saginaw, MI 48638 | Same |
| Phone | (989) 249-4900 | Same |
| Education | BA, DePaul University (Chicago). JD, WMU Cooley Law School (cum laude, accelerated program). | Same |
| Practice areas | Criminal defense, family law, juvenile law, estate planning, personal injury, general civil litigation | Same |
| Admitted | 2014 | Avvo |
Role in This Investigation
Kelly Ellsworth briefly represented Rita Williams in connection with the SLAPP suit. He dissuaded her from fighting.
This page does not allege wrongdoing. It documents the structural dynamic that makes local representation unavailable in a small county bar.
The Saginaw County Bar Problem
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| SCBA membership | Kelly Ellsworth is a Saginaw County Bar Association member |
| Gafkay was SCBA President | Judge Julie Gafkay was Past President of the same county bar |
| Same courthouse | Ellsworth practices in the 10th Circuit — the same court where Gafkay is Chief Judge and where Ellison files cases |
| SCBA newsletter | Ellsworth served as an attorney-advisor for SCBA programs (2022 newsletter) alongside other Saginaw lawyers |
| Daily dependence | A general practice attorney in Saginaw County appears before Gafkay and the other 10th Circuit judges regularly. Antagonizing the chief judge risks every other client. |
Family in the Bar
Kelly Ellsworth comes from a Saginaw County legal family:
| Family Member | Role | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kirk C. Ellsworth (father, deceased Apr 23, 2020) | Co-founding partner, Shinners & Ellsworth PLC. Ferris State (1981), Cooley Law (1986). Practiced 26 years. Passion: Saginaw County Juvenile Court. | Obituary |
| John Shinners (father’s co-founder) | Co-founding partner, Shinners & Ellsworth PLC. CMU (1984), Bar 1988. | aiHit |
| Kirk C. Ellsworth II (brother) | Practicing attorney, Chicago, IL. Supervising attorney, Consumer Law Group. | |
| Madilyn Ellsworth (sister-in-law) | Practicing family law attorney, Chicago, IL. | Same |
The Ellsworth family has practiced in Saginaw County since 1986. Kirk Sr. co-founded the firm. Kelly inherited the practice. The family’s institutional relationships in the Saginaw County court system span 40 years.
Disciplinary Record
| Date | Action | Basis | Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 2024 | Reprimand (consent order) | OWI conviction (operating while visibly impaired) — MRPC 8.4(b) | People v. Kelly Daniel Ellsworth, 70th District Court, No. 22-001104-OD |
Source: Michigan Bar Journal, Jan 2025
This is unrelated to the Williams matter. It is included because it is public record and because it demonstrates that the AGC does act on attorney misconduct when the facts are straightforward — making the continued pendency of AGC File 25-2363 (Ellison) notable by contrast.
The Structural Cowardice Problem
A self-represented litigant fighting a SLAPP suit in Saginaw County faces this:
- The chief judge (Gafkay) was the bar president and an adjunct faculty colleague of the opposing attorney
- The chief judge simultaneously presides over three active cases involving the opposing attorney
- Every attorney in the Saginaw County Bar Association practices before that chief judge daily
- An attorney who goes scorched earth on Ellison on behalf of one client risks Gafkay’s displeasure in every other case
- The Ellsworth family has been in this bar for 40 years — the institutional relationships are deep
This is not corruption. It is a system that cannot produce the result Rita needs because every participant depends on every other participant. The solution is representation from outside Saginaw County — counsel who does not need Gafkay’s goodwill for any other matter.
Sources
- Shinners & Ellsworth PLC: shinnersandellsworth.com
- SCBA directory: P78595
- LinkedIn: Kelly Ellsworth
- Michigan Bar Journal: Discipline orders, Jan 2025
- SCBA newsletter Sept 2022: Attorney-advisor listing
- Kirk Ellsworth obituary: Case Funeral Home