Attorney Profiles

Melisa is a member of the firm's Casualty Group where she concentrates her practice in the areas of premises liability, products liability, automobile and trucking negligence cases.

Melisa received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology, with a minor in Justice Administration, from the University of Louisville in 2003. Melisa attended the University of Louisville on an athletic scholarship where she competed for four years on the women's tennis team. Subsequently, Melisa received her Juris Doctor Degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, in 2006. While pursuing her law degree, Melisa was an active member of the Florida Law Review; was published in the Journal of Technology Law and Policy; and earned book awards in Legal Research and Writing, Appellate Advocacy and Trial Practice. Melisa also was a student extern for The Honorable Elizabeth A. Kovachevich, United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and served as a teaching assistant for the Legal Research and Writing and Appellate Advocacy courses.

Following graduation, Melisa joined a large Tampa law firm where her practice included multiparty litigation, contractual disputes, general tort claims, construction and products liability litigation. Thereafter, Melisa accepted a position as a federal law clerk to The Honorable Mary S. Scriven, United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division.

Melisa is a member of the Florida Bar, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Melisa is active in the Big Brothers Big Sisters' community-based program where she volunteers and serves as a mentor to her "Little Sister." She is also a member of the Young Lawyers Division of the Hillsborough County Bar, the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL), and is an attorney ad litem volunteer.