Melissa J. Oretsky

Melissa is a member of the firm's Commercial Litigation Group. Her practice focuses on a variety of general and complex litigation matters, counseling clients on a multitude of procedural and substantive litigation issues. Melissa also devotes a large portion of her practice to pharmaceutical products liability and mass tort litigation. She has represented clients in an array of pharmaceutical products litigations including hormone therapy, diet drugs, oral contraceptives, flu vaccine, and NSAIDs. She also represents clients in asbestos litigation. Melissa has experience in all aspects of litigation, including investigations and interviews in anticipation of litigation, intensive discovery and pre-trial motion practice, and witness preparation in matters in both state and federal courts. Melissa has also worked as a team member on several jury trials.

Melissa is also active in the firm's pro bono efforts and has assisted with several pro bono matters. She served as second chair counsel to an indigent litigant in a section 1983 civil rights matter, represented a national non-profit organization in a cy pres matter, and has represented clients in asset forfeiture, replevin, voting rights, name change matters, and supplemental security income benefits appeals. She is currently representing a man on Alabama's death row. In conjunction with the Lawyers Serving Warriors, a project of National Veterans Legal Service Program, Melissa is also currently representing a service member returning from war with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder who has been denied veterans benefits provided by law. In addition, Melissa has also spent the last seven years as a volunteer for Philadelphia Reads, a program geared to improving and enhancing the reading skills of younger elementary school children.