An accomplished litigator, Melissa leverages her experience in the healthcare industry to achieve business-critical outcomes for her corporate clients in lawsuits and arbitrations across the country.
Melissa has extensive experience litigating complex commercial disputes and defending class action lawsuits, including in the areas of healthcare litigation, insurance coverage, consumer fraud claims, complex contractual disputes and professional service liability claims.
A member of the Healthcare, Life Sciences & Education teams, Melissa has particular experience in defending claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Melissa regularly represents employers, welfare plans, plan administrators and pharmacy benefits managers in ERISA litigation, ranging from defending individual claims for benefits to defense of fiduciary duty claims in national class action litigation.
Melissa’s complex commercial litigation practice also extends to representing clients in the finance and professional services industries. Melissa regularly represents clients in insurance disputes, including advising and defending insurance companies in matters concerning coverage and subrogation rights, as well as assisting her clients to obtain coverage under their insurance policies.
Melissa is an appellate attorney who has successfully briefed and argued cases in state and federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the Missouri and Illinois Courts of Appeals. As a member of the firm’s appellate group, she regularly advises and assists on appellate matters for our clients.