Overview

Melissa is an experienced business advisor and litigator who excels at assisting clients in resolving their most complex, high-stakes issues. She enjoys working closely with in-house counsel, executives and individuals to manage litigation, putting her clients’ interests first to better understand their objectives and reduce their litigation risk.

Her work encompasses a broad range of industries, including insurance, healthcare, financial institutions and real estate. She represents her clients’ interests in commercial litigation, enforcement and defense of restrictive covenants, and defense of professionals for errors and omissions. She has experience litigating breach of fiduciary duty claims and employment and breach of contract claims, including enforcement of non-compete, non-solicitation and non-disclosure provisions. Melissa’s experience also extends to franchise litigation and creditor’s rights.

The results Melissa has achieved for clients include:

  • Successfully represented a large insurance broker in a lawsuit against former employees, achieving the largest settlement in the client company’s history
  • Obtained a preliminary injunction in a restrictive covenants matter where the defendants violated the non-solicitation and confidential information covenants of their employment agreements
  • Successfully represented a client in a complex commercial dispute involving breach of contract claims by securing a favorable summary judgment ruling, effectively dismissing the claims against the client
  • Secured a final judgment on summary judgment in favor of a large local hospital system in a property tax dispute with the county taxing authority, saving the hospital system millions of dollars
  • Obtained favorable result for the defendant insurance brokerage after a jury trial
  • Secured numerous final judgments in favor of firm clients in collection actions, including financial institutions, manufacturing companies and rent-to-own companies

Education

  • Florida State University College of Law  (J.D., magna cum laude, 2009)
  • Florida State University  (B.A., summa cum laude, 2006)

Bar Admissions

  • Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Professional Associations

  • Federal Bar Association, Tampa Bay Chapter, Board Member, 2025
  • Federal Bar Association, Tampa Bay Chapter, Staying in the Game Committee Member, 2019-present
  • Volusia County Bar Association
  • Hillsborough County Association for Women Lawyers, Board Member, 2019-2021
  • Volusia Young Professionals Group, President, 2015
  • Volusia Flagler Association for Women Lawyers, President, 2011-2012

Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars Edition
  • Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent
  • Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundation Leadership Award, 2017
  • Community Foundation of Volusia & Flagler, Division of United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties, Young Leaders Award, 2016
  • Volusia Flagler Association for Women Lawyers, Distinguished Service Award, 2016
  • Volusia Young Professionals Group Leadership Award, 2015
  • Volusia Flagler Business Report, "40 under 40" Business Professionals, 2013-2015
  • Leadership Daytona Class XXXIII, Graduate, 2013
  • Order of the Coif

Community

  • Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare, Board of Directors/Executive Committee; Community Council: Project W.A.R.M., Chair
  • Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundation, Chairman of the Board, 2015-2017
  • Florida Supreme Court Internship Program
  • Checkered Flag Committee