Scott Kelly

I help employers make defensible decisions about their people. When the stakes are high (a pay equity exposure, a federal contractor audit, an AI hiring tool, a DEI program under new scrutiny), I bring legal judgment and data analytics together to find the answer before a regulator or plaintiff does. I am a Shareholder at Ogletree Deakins, where I chair the firm's Workforce Analytics and Compliance Practice Group and co-chair the Government Contracting and Compliance, Pay Equity practice groups as well as serve as a steering commttee member of our DEI Compliance practice group. I lead a multidisciplinary team of attorneys and analytics professionals who combine employment law with statistical analysis, all under attorney-client privilege. My practice focuses on four areas: Workforce analytics. I advise organizations on systems, policies and practices affecting every stage of the employment life cycle, from sourcing and selection through promotion and retention, using privileged statistical analysis to identify and address risk proactively. Pay equity. I design and defend compensation systems and have led proactive pay equity analyses across financial services, technology, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, media, and higher education. Federal contractor compliance. I counsel contractors and grant recipients through the rapidly shifting regulatory landscape, including Executive Orders 14173 and 14398, FAR clause obligations, and Deparment of Labor enforcement. DEI compliance. I help employers assess and redesign programs to withstand current legal scrutiny while advancing their objectives lawfully. Clients call on me when the EEOC or DOL launches a systemic pattern-or-practice investigation, when a compensation or selection practice is challenged as disparate impact or disparate treatment, and when leaders need practical counsel and training they can act on. I speak frequently on national employment law issues and publish regularly on the developments shaping this field. For my latest analysis, follow my Defensible Decisions podcast and newsletter, where I break down what changing enforcement priorities mean for employers. Recognized in Chambers USA (Band 4, Alabama) and named a Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyer (2025-2026). Let's connect if you are navigating workforce analytics, pay equity, federal contractor compliance, or DEI compliance.