Melissa draws upon more than 35 years of legal experience to resolve a variety of civil litigation matters, including construction defects, 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 and has served as a judge pro tem and settlement officer for the Sacramento County Superior Court for over two decades.

As an Arbitrator and a Referee, she has earned a reputation for being neutral, flexible, and thoroughly prepared. She prides herself in managing efficient hearings and allows everyone to feel heard and respected.

As a Mediator, Melissa’s friendly demeanor, combined with her direct and persistent approach, provides a sound foundation for the candid dialogue required to achieve resolution. She has the insight and experience to efficiently identify issues and discern on a case-by-case basis how to get parties engaged in bringing about resolution. Her goal is “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.”