Introduction
Melissa draws upon more than 30 years of legal experience to resolve a variety of civil litigation matters including construction defect, all types of personal injury, landlord tenant and habitability matters. A part-time private mediator, arbitrator, and special master since 2010, she made the decision in 2016 to follow her passion and transitioned to full-time neutral work. She volunteered as an arbitrator, mediator and settlement judge for local courts before embarking on her private mediation practice. She has served as a judge pro tem and settlement officer for the Sacramento County Superior Court for over two decades and also frequently participates on educational seminars focused on dispute resolution topics.
Melissa’s friendly demeanor, combined with her direct and persistent approach, provides a sound foundation for the candid dialogue required to achieve resolution. Melissa has the insight and experience to efficiently identify issues and discern on a case-by-case basis how to get parties engaged to bring about resolution. Her goal is, “to try to bring to the negotiation table a distinct set of problem-solving skills that will assist the parties in resolving their disputes on their terms so that they can get back to what they care about most in their lives – their families, their businesses, their passions.”
Specialties
- All types of Construction Disputes
- Insurance Coverage
- Personal Injury
- Product Liability
- Real Estate
Hobbies & Interests
In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, playing piano and guitar, listening to music, gardening, hiking, reading, and keeping up on national, state, and local political and cultural issues.
