Melissa is a litigator and a member of the Life Sciences Health Industry Group. She focuses her practice on pharmaceutical products liability, medical device products liability and e-discovery issues. Melissa currently serves as co-lead counsel in defense of litigation involving a prescription hormonal contraceptive product in both a federal MDL in Missouri and a coordinated mass tort proceeding in New Jersey. She also currently serves as liaison counsel in defense of a coordinated mass tort proceeding in New Jersey involving a pelvic mesh product.
Melissa has significant trial experience, acting as second chair in seven diet drug cases tried to verdict in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in two grouped trials and conducting numerous trials in New Jersey state court on behalf of pro bono clients seeking a Final Restraining Order in domestic violence situations. She also has significant experience in deposing plaintiffs, medical providers and experts on behalf of pharmaceutical clients in mass tort litigation.
Melissa is a member of the Firm's E-discovery Team and was previously the Director of Complex Litigation Electronic Discovery. She has extensive experience counseling clients on best practices concerning e-discovery and cross-border data transfer issues, including designing, implementing and memorializing defensible electronic discovery and document production strategies and preparing preservation policies, legal holds and internal protocols. Melissa also manages large document projects for diverse clients.
She maintains an active pro bono practice and serves as the Firm's liaison to HomeFront, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless. As the Firm's New Jersey representative of the firm-wide Pro Bono Committee, Melissa has spoken before the New Jersey State Bar Association regarding Reed Smith's involvement in pro bono activities and is a member of the Bar Association's Pro Bono Committee.