Kaela excels at helping clients achieve the legal results they seek in complex and sensitive cases. Before becoming a lawyer, Kaela had a decade-long career in education: she was a teacher and administrator in high-poverty schools, a nonprofit director, and a state policy advisor. Through these experiences, she developed a strong foundation in fighting for individuals and communities that face inequitable systems.
“Kaela King of Cooper Elliott came highly recommended and did not disappoint. She did an excellent job representing me. Her background, life experiences, and education were invaluable. She was thoughtful and patient with me as I dealt with a delicate and time-sensitive issue. She was also efficient and effective. With her support, I was able to get results and my issue was resolved in a timely manner. Kaela King of Cooper Elliott is "fearless," "experienced," "dedicated," and "action" oriented. After working with Kaela, I can say that she is a fearless advocate and cares about schools, communities, and our kids.”
Stephanie Carter
-
Multiple multi-million dollar results, including an eight-figure trial verdict
-
Named one of Columbus Business First’s 40 Under 40 in 2024
-
Clerked for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
-
Graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
-
While in law school, served as Editor-in-Chief of the Ohio State Law Journal
Kaela began her legal career clerking for Chief Judge Algenon L. Marbley and Judge R. Guy Cole, Jr., where she learned from two of the country’s best legal minds. Kaela continues to draw on these experiences today, both in formulating legal strategies and in constructing legal arguments to present in court.
Kaela previously served as Teach For America corps member, where she worked in Brooklyn, New York as a public middle school teacher. She went on to help start several new schools and programs supporting disadvantaged students, including the KIPP school in Columbus, a dropout recovery high school in Jacksonville, Florida, and a brand-new chapter of a national nonprofit serving public schools in Southwest Ohio. Kaela developed strong relationship-building skills during these years, which she uses today to walk her clients through the legal process with empathy and care.
Kaela lives in Gahanna with her husband, toddler son, and doglike cat. She spends her free time with her loved ones, cooking, hiking, and doing yoga. She will also teach a seminar on the Law of Policing at the Moritz College of Law beginning in 2025.
At Cooper Elliott, Kaela focuses on wrongful death and catastrophic injuries, civil rights, employment discrimination, abuse, and complex business disputes. She is proud to draw on her unique experiences to help her clients find justice in the face of tragedy and wrongdoing.
KAELA’S MISSION
“I believe everyone deserves access to lawyers who are highly skilled, deeply compassionate, and justice-oriented. Cooper Elliott prioritizes all three of these values, and I feel lucky to practice law alongside such a dedicated team.”
- State of Ohio
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- American Association for Justice
- Ohio Association for Justice
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Columbus Bar Association
- The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (J.D.)
- Pace University (Master of Science in Teaching)
- The Ohio State University (B.A. in English and Philosophy, with Honors)
- Robert M. Duncan Service Award (for outstanding service contribution to the law school community, courage, and excellence)
- Donald S. Teller Award (for best student writing)
- Michael E. Moritz Merit Scholar (for outstanding academic and personal histories)