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Director of Business Development
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Kelly Sharpe is a key member of Taft’s marketing and business development team, playing a pivotal role in the firm’s expansion by supporting individual attorneys, various practice groups and offices. Her efforts helped grow Taft’s Indianapolis office head count from roughly 85 attorneys in 2002 — when she joined the firm — to approximately 175 in 2025. “Coming off a year with three mergers, a large part of my work has focused on integration and collaboration,” Sharpe said. In addition to her work in Indianapolis, Sharpe provides ongoing marketing and business development assistance to the firm’s Washington, D.C.-Capitol Hill office, and she also coaches first-year associates on topics like network-building and how to raise their profiles. But business-development leadership represents only one aspect of her contributions to Taft. Working closely with the firm’s leadership, she’s helped lead Taft’s partnership with Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58. In collaboration with Shepherd Community Center, Taft supports an after-school program offering learning opportunities and enrichment activities. Sharpe has led various initiatives associated with the program, including the Taft Scholar and Most Improved awards, the Law Exploratory Career Program, Career Day presentations, and the Read Up volunteer program. In addition to behind-the-scenes work running the program, her efforts as part of the annual financial pledge campaign have helped Taft employees raise more than $2 million to support these students.
Givebacks: volunteer, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana; member, Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis; former volunteer, Back on My Feet-Indianapolis Chapter; former race volunteer, Joseph Maley Foundation
First job: babysitter
Important traits: “Being responsive, detail oriented and willing to contribute in any way, even if it’s outside of your usual responsibilities. Also, the ability to navigate varying personalities and balance preferences.”
Advice: “Focus on [your] organization, communication and writing skills and use those skills to build trust by delivering high-quality work.”
Job swap: “I had a strong interest in sports media, but a speech teacher told me I talk too fast.”
Favorite de-stressors: Running, walking her dog, and spending time with friends and family. Also, Phish concerts.•
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