Kelsey Carol Burke

What is your current Practice area? 

Personal Injury 

Please provide a short bio of your background:

I was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I arrived in the United States at the age of 10 years old and settled with my mother and siblings in Palm Beach County. I attended Lake Worth Middle, Lake Worth High School, and FAU for my undergrad. 

What adversity have you faced because of your diverse characteristic and how did you overcome it?

I learned at the age of 17 years old, that I was undocumented. As a result, I was not able to start college right away after high school. Upon receiving Temporary Protected Status, I enrolled at FAU. I did not qualify for FAFSA due to my legal status. I worked and attended college full time. When I was in law school, the Florida Bar rejected my application to sit for the bar exam due to my immigration status. I had many angels (people) along the way to guide me, support me, and encourage me, to not give up. The more educated I became the more I overcame.

Why is diversity important to the practice of law in Palm Beach County?

Despite representing roughly 25-30% of the population here in South Florida, Hispanics are sorely underrepresented in government and positions of power. PBC Bar and Judicial Bench should reflect the cultures, values, and diversity of our attorneys and clients, to bring different perspectives to effectively solve problems for our clients and community.