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Practice Areas: Employment Law for Employers, Appellate Practice, Professional Liability

Additional Information:

Melissa focuses her practice on employment litigation and advising, health care, and appellate litigation. She represents companies and individuals in the areas of workplace discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination. Her practice involves litigation proceedings in Minnesota State and Federal courts as well as proceedings at the agency level involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. She represents companies in litigation involving temporary injunctions, business torts, non-compete agreements, and trade secrets. She also provides advice on regulatory matters involving state and federal agencies.

Melissa’s health-care practice involves defending medical providers against medical-malpractice claims. She also assists clients through the e-discovery process and complex motion practice in state and federal district courts. She advises the firm’s clients on appellate procedure, writes briefs, and argues cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Minnesota Supreme Court, various federal district courts, and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Melissa is active in the legal community, currently serving as a board member for Minnesota Women Lawyers and on MWL’s CLE subcommittee. She partners with the Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid Disability Law Center working pro bono in school law representing children with disabilities. She works with families to solve problems involving special education, restraint and seclusion, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Section 504 plans, educational evaluations, and eligibility determinations.

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Firm Members: Mary O'Brien