Melonie S. Jordan
PEOPLE

Melonie S. Jordan

Associate
jordan.melonie@dorsey.com

Overview

Melonie guides employers through complex employment and privacy laws and regulations that govern the workplace.

Melonie advises employers in various industries on a broad range of workplace privacy and information security issues, including compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act and navigating biometric data privacy issues, social media use, background checks, and more. She has counseled clients on internal reviews of their systems to assess how changes should be implemented to strengthen compliance with emerging state privacy and labor law requirements, including best practices for managing employee data. Melonie is certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), a designation demonstrating her understanding of U.S. privacy and security practices and their applicability to the workplace.

Melonie also defends employers before state and federal agencies, including the EEOC and state human rights agencies, and federal courts in single-plaintiff and class action lawsuits alleging claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination matters. Melonie’s experience with dispute resolution and background as a commercial litigator allows her to approach employers with a fresh perspective in counseling on hiring, leave, discipline and termination, and litigation risk assessment.

Prior to joining Dorsey, Melonie served as a law clerk to the Honorable Roy S. Payne in the Eastern District of Texas. During her clerkship, Melonie worked on a variety of cases, including employment discrimination and patent infringement.

Education & Admissions

Emory University School of Law (J.D., 2016),

  • The Order of Barristers
  • Director-in-Chief, Emory Moot Court Society
  • President, Emory Black Law Students Association
  • Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities
  • Dean’s Public Service Award
  • Pro Bono Publico Medal

University of Akron (B.A., Political Science, 2013),

  • summa cum laude
  • Order of Omega
  • Phi Sigma Alpha
  • Sprinter, Women’s Track and Field

Admissions

  • California
  • Alabama
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern, Central, and Eastern Districts of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

Languages

  • French (basic conversational proficiency)

Clerkships

  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas, Honorable Roy S. Payne, 2018-2019

Experience

Representative Experience

Labor and Employment

  • Discrimination
  • Harassment
  • Retaliation
  • Wrongful termination
  • Wage and Hour

Cybersecurity, Privacy & Social Media

  • Security incident investigations and response
  • GDPR, CCPA, CPRA, and international privacy compliance
  • Data protection in the workplace
  • Employee privacy policies

News & Resources

Articles

Targeting Algorithmic Discrimination in the Employment Context, First-of-Its-Kind Colorado AI Act Beats Out California Bills for Now
Legislative Action Heralds Sweeping Changes to PAGA, Resulting in Tools for More Effective Administration and Potential to Curb Abuse, Benefiting Both Employers and Workers
What Does the California Attorney General’s New Investigative CCPA Sweep Mean for California Employers?
California Attorney General Announces New Investigative Sweep Targeting CCPA Compliance for “Large California Employers”
Federal Agencies Set the Pace for Employers Using AI in the Workplace
EEOC, Other Federal Agencies Set the Pace for Employers Using AI in the Workplace
Unlimited PTO in California – Is This Actually a Good Idea to Retain Employees?
Will Employers Have More Obligations Beyond the CCPA if these California Privacy Bills Pass?
How Large Employers Can Prepare for CCPA/CPRA Obligations for “HR Data” in 2022
How Large Employers Can Prepare for CCPA/CPRA Obligations for “HR Data” in 2022
Three More California Privacy Bills Become Law: CPPA Rulemaking Responsibility, Genetic Data Breaches, and New Genetic Information Privacy Act
Mysteries Solved! California Attorney General Reveals CCPA First-Year Enforcement and Launches Consumer Complaint Tool
Missed Meal Period Penalty Must Include Adjustment for Nondiscretionary Payments
“No Concrete Harm, No Standing” – Supreme Court’s TransUnion v. Ramirez Decision Clarifies Federal Court Standing Requirements for CCPA and BIPA Class Actions
CCPA Class Actions and Standing Requirements
California Supreme Court Finds that Dynamex Decision Regarding the Standard for Worker Classification Applies Retroactively
What’s in a Name? Influencer Trademark Name Disputes Provide Lessons for the New Year on Clarity in Agreements
California Qualified Employers May Receive Tax Credit Boost for New Hires

News & Press Mentions

201 Dorsey Lawyers Recognized in 2025 Best Lawyers in America, Lawyers of the Year, and Ones to Watch
Dorsey Attorneys Selected for 2024 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellows and Pathfinder Programs
Melonie Jordan Discusses the CROWN Act on the Bloomberg Law Podcast
New AI Lawsuits Relating to the Use of Allegedly Stolen Data

Podcasts

Melonie Jordan Discusses the CROWN Act on the Bloomberg Law Podcast
New AI Lawsuits Relating to the Use of Allegedly Stolen Data

Legal Writings

  • Co-Author, Non-Monetary Relief, in A PRACTITIONER’S GUIDE TO CLASS ACTIONS (Marcy Greer ed., 2d ed. 2017).

Industries & Practices

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity, Privacy & Social Media
  • Food, Beverage & Agribusiness
  • Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • Labor & Employment
  • Labor & Employment Guides
  • Technology

Professional & Civic

Professional Achievements

  • Member, California Lawyers Association: Intellectual Property Law, Labor & Employment Law, and Privacy Law Sections
  • Member, American Bar Association: Intellectual Property Young Lawyers Action Group, Labor and Employment Law Section
  • Member, Federal Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • Board of Directors, Thurgood Marshall Bar Association
  • National Advisory Council, The Life of a Single Mom

Accolades

  • Named "Southern California Ones to Watch" in Labor and Employment Law - Management by Best Lawyers®, 2025

Diversity & Inclusion 50+ Hours 2022Diversity & Inclusion 50+ Hours 2021

  • Contributed more than 50+ Diversity hours, 2021-2022

    Contributed 50+ Pro Bono Hours in 2021

  • Contributed more than 50 Challenge pro bono hours, 2021
  • Named to the Top 10 Young Diverse Lawyers of Orange County list by the Orange County Coalition for Diversity Lawyers of Orange County
Melonie S. Jordan