Melissa is a skilled advocate, both utilizing discovery tools for obtaining motions for summary judgment at a high success rate and doing vigorous trial preparation to best defend her clients. She also takes an innovative approach to alternative dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration, and settlement negotiation to obtain favorable settlements for clients where appropriate to limit exposures in both the pre-suit and/or litigation phase. In addition, Melissa stays focused on anticipating legislative trends and changes to the Florida insuring market to provide swift advice and novel defense strategies to clients when a new law is enacted.

Prior to joining the firm Melissa handled several large-loss insurance coverage and litigation disputes on multi-layer commercial policies, including both binder and multi-slip policies through the London insuring market. In addition, Melissa has taken a leading role in handling and managing large volumes of CAT first party insurance disputes for various domestic carriers to obtain swift results and resolution of claims and/or litigation.

While in law school, Melissa’s additional relevant experience included work as a Certified Legal Intern and Clerk at the U.S. Attorney’s Office Appellate Division for the Southern District of Florida, Legal Intern Federal Magistrate Judge John O’Sullivan (Ret.), Legal Intern for the Corporate Responsibility Department at Bacardi-martini, U.S.A, and as a legal intern for Judge Don S. Cohn (Ret.) for the County Court of Miami-Dade County, Coral Gables division. Most importantly, Melissa is proud to have been a summer law clerk at Hamilton Miller and Birthisel during her second and third year at the University of Miami School of Law. It was from working with the many talented attorneys at the firm that Melissa first started developing the now honed skillset she has today and solidified her interest in the insurance and maritime industries. 

Melissa is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State of Connecticut, State of Florida, U.S. Southern District Court of Florida, U.S. Middle District Court of Florida. 

Participating in the local community is extremely important to Melissa. She dedicates much of her spare time to service in voluntary professional organizations and charitable groups including leadership roles such as President of the Miami-Dade County Bar Association, President of the University of Miami’s Young Alumni Leadership Council, Vice President of Communications for the University of Miami School of Law Alumni Association, Secretary of the Miami-Chapter of the Miami Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), and is the immediate past-Chair for NextGen a young professional organization benefiting Chapman Partnership. She also actively participates as an invited speaker on insurance litigation matters and continuing education seminars for insurance adjusters. When Melissa is not zealously representing her clients or giving back to her community, she is an avid golfer and partakes in various outdoor sports such as tennis and swimming, enjoys attending live sporting events such as supporting Miami Hurricane Athletics, reading for pleasure, and spending time with her family and friends.