Melissa is an experienced litigator who represents clients in high-stakes litigation across the country, including environmental and toxic tort claims, contract disputes, employment litigation, class actions, and putative class actions.

Melissa represents clients in a broad range of complex commercial disputes in state and federal courts across the country. She has particular experience defending utilities in enforcement actions under the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and other federal and state environmental statutes. Over the last several years, she has handled numerous litigation matters involving coal combustion residuals for major utility companies. These matters have included defending citizen suits brought under federal environmental laws, including the CWA and RCRA, enforcement actions brought by government agencies, and private actions asserting nuisance and other common law claims.

Melissa also handles complex employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, Fair Credit Reporting Act, OSHA, and wage-and-hour disputes, including class actions. Melissa has extensive experience guiding clients through complex discovery disputes during litigation. Melissa has represented clients at all stages of litigation in state and federal courts through trials, dispositive motions, and appeals.
Additionally, Melissa has significant experience with internal investigations and she routinely advises national clients on e-discovery and other electronic data storage issues in the context of litigation.

Melissa maintains an active pro bono practice. She frequently works closely with the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy to represent indigent clients in various matters.

In every year since 2015, Melissa has been recognized as a “Rising Star” for business litigation by North Carolina Super Lawyers magazine.

Melissa is admitted to practice before the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; the United States District Courts for the Western, Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina; and all state courts in North Carolina.

Relevant Experience

• Regularly represents major utility companies in environmental litigation related to the storage and disposal of coal combustion residuals, including coal ash.
• Regularly represents major electric utilities throughout the country in all aspects of defense of actions brought under the CAA, the CWA, and RCRA.
• Regularly defends employers in administrative and litigation matters against claims of discrimination or retaliation.
• Defended class action alleging statutory violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act based on the conduct of criminal background checks.
• Represented employer in case filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for religious discrimination.
• Represented employer before the NLRB in defense of unfair labor practice charges.
• Represented financial services institutions in the defense of consumer finance litigation nationwide.

• Represented major financial services institutions in actions arising out of claims for unfair and deceptive trade practice, usury, predatory lending practices, violations of Truth and Lending Act, RESPA, and other federal and state laws.
• Advised employers regarding employment agreements.
• Represented financial institutions in various matters concerning credit default swaps, asset-backed securities and shareholder actions.
• Represented registered broker-dealer in FINRA arbitration alleging unsuitability of investment related to collateralized debt obligations.
• Represented financial services institution in defense against lawsuit to enjoin $12 billion merger with Charlotte-based commercial and investment bank.
• Participated in review of web content and open-source intelligence pertaining to critical information for major client.
• Represented major corporation as plaintiff in class action lawsuit involving issues related to class certification, Daubert, the business judgment rule, and various provisions of antitrust law.
• Represented major financial institution in the transfer of its corporate trust business to another major financial institution.

Bar Admissions

Education
JD, University of Notre Dame Law School, cum laude, 2008BA, History, Davidson College, cum laude, 2005