Attorney Profile

Melissa A. Dearing

Melissa A. Dearing

Partner

Melissa A. Dearing is a Partner in the firm’s Immigration Practice Group, where she assists employers in seeking non-immigrant and immigrant status.

Melissa has extensive experience with H-1Bs and the PERM-based green card process, particularly with respect to information technology professionals, engineers and pharmacists, among other professionals. She also represents foreign nationals regarding family immigration matters and assists employers with I-9 and other immigration compliance issues.

A member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Melissa is a past member of the Chester Bedell American Inn of Court. She is also a member of the Federal Bar Association and the Florida Bar Association. In addition, Melissa is also Co-Chair of the Jacksonville Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law Section.

Melissa was named to the Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law-Management and Litigation-Labor and Employment, Jacksonville (2020-2025) and Immigration Law, Jacksonville (2025). In 2022, Best Lawyers named her “Lawyer of the Year: for Employment Law-Management. She was selected for inclusion in Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2009-2013).

Jacksonville
F: (904) 467-3461

1301 Riverplace Blvd., 10th Floor
Jacksonville, FL 32207

Bar Admission

Florida

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida

The Chester Bedell American Inn of Court

Bar Affiliations

American Immigration Lawyers Association
Federal Bar Association
Jacksonville Bar Association – Labor & Employment Law Section, Co-Chair

Education

University of Florida Levin College of Law, J.D., with honors

University of Florida, B.A., with honors

Melissa A. Dearing

Partner

Melissa A. Dearing is a Partner in the firm’s Immigration Practice Group, where she assists employers in seeking non-immigrant and immigrant status.

Melissa has extensive experience with H-1Bs and the PERM-based green card process, particularly with respect to information technology professionals, engineers and pharmacists, among other professionals. She also represents foreign nationals regarding family immigration matters and assists employers with I-9 and other immigration compliance issues.

A member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Melissa is a past member of the Chester Bedell American Inn of Court. She is also a member of the Federal Bar Association and the Florida Bar Association. In addition, Melissa is also Co-Chair of the Jacksonville Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law Section.

Melissa was named to the Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law-Management and Litigation-Labor and Employment, Jacksonville (2020-2025) and Immigration Law, Jacksonville (2025). In 2022, Best Lawyers named her “Lawyer of the Year: for Employment Law-Management. She was selected for inclusion in Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2009-2013).

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