Overview
Melissa is a Dorsey Partner and former Chair of Dorsey’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. While she has deep relationships with clients of all types, she has particular expertise litigating disputes and providing advice to clients in the financial services, healthcare, food & agriculture and energy sectors. She is “an experienced, knowledgeable practitioner who consistently delivers high-quality work,” reports Chambers U.S.A. in its most recent rankings of the top lawyers in America.
Melissa’s employment litigation practice includes class actions, collective actions, multi-plaintiff actions and single plaintiff cases nationwide in federal and state courts and agencies. She regularly handles arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA), where she has a history of delivering successful results.
Melissa counsels employers on a full range of issues including performance management, selection and termination. Her decades of experience in these matters makes her a go-to partner and a trusted advisor for clients. (Her sense of humor doesn’t hurt either.)
Melissa is known as a fierce advocate for diversity in the business community. Knowing that sponsorship is vital to advance the careers of women and minority attorneys, she advocates stridently on their behalf. Her awareness that diverse teams deliver the best results for clients accounts for the highly diverse teams she assembles for the matters she handles.
Education & Admissions
Boston College Law School (J.D.), Boston College International and Comparative Law Review
Notes and Comments Editor
Duke University (B.A.), cum laude
Admissions
- Minnesota
- Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Minnesota Supreme Court
Experience
Representative Experience
- Lead counsel for insurance companies in multiple jurisdictions handling claims of defamation, discrimination, Equal Pay Act, breach of contract, retaliation and tortious interference with contract
- Lead counsel for financial services companies in multiple jurisdictions handling claims involving breach of contract, fraud/misrepresentation, retaliation and defamation (Form U-5)
- Lead counsel for utility company in cases involving sexual harassment, gender discrimination in pay (Equal Pay Act and Title VII), retaliation and tortious interference with contract
- Price v. Northern States Power (8th Cir.): Won affirmance of summary dismissal of three-count complaint for discriminatory pay practices under Equal Pay Act, Title VII and the Minnesota Human Rights Act
- Brown v. Ameriprise (D. Minn.): Won dismissal of complaint with prejudice filed following discovery that plaintiff cut and pasted complaint in violation of Rule 11
- Heykants v. U.S. Bank (S.D. Iowa): Won summary dismissal of retaliation claim under Title VII and the Iowa Human Rights Act
- Tubbs v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (D. Minn.): Won summary dismissal of claims for disability discrimination and failure to accommodate under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act
- Boxdorfer v. Thrivent Financial (S.D. Ind.): Won summary dismissal of three-count complaint for defamation (based on Form U-5); breach of contract and intentional infliction of emotional distress
- Pederson v. RBC (FINRA Arbitration): Successfully tried twelve-day FINRA arbitration on claims of gender discrimination, Equal Pay Act and breach of contract
News & Resources
Articles
News & Press Mentions
Events & Speaking Engagements
Select Presentations
- Frequent speaker on variety of employment law topics including retaliation, constructive discharge, discipline and discharge, sexual harassment.
- "Annual Construction Symposium," Dorsey & Whitney, May 2018
- #youtoo: Why the Construction Industry Needs to Focus on Sexual Harassment
- “Disciplining and Discharging the Problem Employee – Multiple Case Studies,” 2014 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2014
- “Discovery Wars: A View From the Trenches and Above,” 2014 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2014
- “L&E Review & Preview: A Look Back at 2013 and a Look Ahead to 2014,” Dorsey U, February 2014
- “Annual Civil Litigator Short Course,” Minnesota CLE, January 2014
- “Problem Employees,” Minnesota CLE, August 2013
- “Salespeople – Can’t Live With Them – Can’t Live Without Them,” 2012 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2012
- “How to Discipline & Discharge Without Disaster,” 2012 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2012
- “Finding the (Legal) Tipping Point – How Discipline and Discharge Decisions Play Out in the Courtroom,” 2011 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2011
- “Hindsight is 20/20: Ten Steps Every Employer Should Take When Making Discipline and Discharge Decisions,” Dorsey Employment Law Seminar, April 2011
- “Kidwell v. Sybaritic – Inside Counsel Whistleblower and Ethics Issues,” Dorsey U, August 2010
- “View from the Top: Best Practices in Helping Women Advance in the Legal Profession and Why it Should Matter to Everyone,” Dorsey U, June 2010
Publications
- Co-Author (Chapter 7) of The Federal District of Minnesota Civil Practice Deskbook, Minnesota CLE (2014)
- Co-Author (Chapter 7) of The FMLA Handbook, Minnesota CLE, Inc. (2012)
- Co-Author (Chapter 6) of Discipline and Discharge Handbook, Minnesota CLE, Inc. (2010) (updated 2014)
Industries & Practices
Banking & Financial Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceSecurities & Financial Services Litigation & Enforcement
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practice- Banking & Financial Institutions
- Emerging Companies
- Healthcare
- Labor & Employment
- Legal Project Management
- Securities & Financial Services Litigation & Enforcement
Professional & Civic
Community Involvement
- Appointed to the Attorney General’s Advisory Task Force on Expanding the Economic Security of Women (ex-officio member), January 2021-present
- Children’s Law Center, Volunteer Attorney, 2009-present
- Blake School, Board of Trustees, September 2018-present
- The Children’s Theatre Company, Board of Trustees, 2014-2016
- Downtown YMCA, Community Board, 2013-2014
- Minnesota Women Lawyers, Board Member, 1993-1995
- Campaign Manager, Ellen Jones for School Board, 2017
- Volunteer, James Pierce for Edina City Council, 2020
Accolades
- Contributed more than 100 Challenge pro bono hours, 2021
- Contributed more than 50 Challenge pro bono hours, 2020
- Named one of “America’s Leading Business Lawyers” by Chambers USA (Labor & Employment), 2005-2021
- Recognized as a "Labor & Employment Star – Minnesota" by Benchmark Litigation, 2021-2022
- Listed as a Woman Leader in the Law by Legal Leaders, 2018
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America©, 2009-2022
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America Employment Law Issue, 2021
- Named "Minneapolis Lawyer of the Year" in Employment Law-Management by Best Lawyers®, 2021
- Listed as a Minnesota Super Lawyers Women’s Edition, 2020-2022
- Listed as a Minnesota Super Lawyer, 2006-2021
- MSBA North Star Lawyer, 2013-2020
- Dorsey & Whitney, Scales of Justice Award, 2014
- Dorsey Partner of the Year Award, 2014
