The law firm of Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey, and Fronrath hired Kelsey Burke in 2016 as her success and potential was very apparent. Like many people,Kelsey enjoys spending time with family, especially her nieces and nephews and her dog Bruno. She is very active and enjoys paddle boarding, running, yoga, and intense interval training exercises. These recreational activities are quite common in South Florida and Kelsey’s accomplishments would make anyone proud, but for Kelsey she has had to fight and earn everything. Kelsey has overcome many obstacles in her life to become the leader and professional that she is today.
Born in Honduras, Kelsey moved to the United States when she was ten years old. She worked hard to learn to read and write in English. Her determination shined through in middle school and then into high school. She was accepted in the Criminal Justice Magnet Program at Lake Worth High School and attended Palm Beach State College as a dual-enrolled student. As Kelsey matured, she encountered yellow tape trying to restrict her passage to many of the luxuries most citizens have access to. Kelsey had to apply for a hardship to give her the ability to attend college, obtain a driver’s license, and work.
Kelsey dreamed of becoming a lawyer and her story made headlines as Senator Dick Durbin shared her story on the US Senate floor. As a DREAMer, Kelsey faced many roadblocks to her goals of becoming a lawyer. Kelsey worked multiple jobs to pay for college as funding was not available to her. She was denied access to the Florida Bar but continued to study hard. In 2014, Florida lawmakers removed the hindrance to her practicing law. After law school, Ms. Burke worked for a local personal injury firm before joining Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey, and Fronrath.
Kelsey hit the ground running after joining the firm. She handles personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability, and auto negligence cases. She continues to be active in the community working with El Sol Jupiter Neighborhood Resource Center, Lawyers for Literacy, and Lake Worth High School Dollars for ScholarsAlumni Association. She is a proud member of the Florida Bar, American Association for Justice, Palm Beach County Justice Association, the Florida Association for Women’s Lawyers, Palm Beach County Bar Association, and the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association.
This past month, Kelsey was installed on the Board for the Women’s Chamber of Commerce Palm Beach County and also graduated from the Florida Bar Leadership Academy Class V. Her accomplishments are nothing short of remarkable given the challenges and struggles she had to endure up to this point in her life. Kelsey’s story is not over as she hopes one day to become a citizen to the only country she’s ever known as her home.
There is no doubt that Kelsey, hard-working woman, will continue to fight to keep all that she has earned. She dreamed big as a child and there is no doubt her dreams to bring change will not go unheard. The law firm of Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey, and Fronrath is proud to have such an ambitious and dedicated attorney working our team.
