Melissa is an associate in Rivkin Radler’s Insurance Fraud Practice Group. She helps insurers prosecute civil lawsuits under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, including affirmative actions to recover insurer claim payments to physicians, medical clinics, attorneys, public adjusters and others involved in complex, large-scale insurance fraud schemes.

Prior to joining Rivkin Radler, Melissa served as an Assistant District Attorney for six years with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office. During her service with the District Attorney’s Office, Melissa was assigned to the Criminal Court/Intake Bureau, Narcotic Trials Bureau and most recently, the Domestic Violence Bureau, where she prosecuted felony crimes committed between intimate partners. Melissa has prosecuted a wide array of cases including attempted murders, burglaries, robberies, assaults, crimes involving the sale and possession of drugs and controlled substances, criminal possession of weapons, DWI, violations of orders of protection and sex crimes. Melissa was also selected to serve with the District Attorney’s Rider program where she drafted subpoenas and search warrants, and supervised line-ups throughout Queens County. She has conducted numerous Grand Jury presentments, evidentiary hearings and trials in Supreme Court.

Melissa was the 2015 recipient of the District Attorney’s Hal Miller Weinstein Award, which is presented each year to a member of the new class who exemplifies a deep commitment to and enthusiasm for public service. In her capacity as an Assistant District Attorney, Melissa taught a legal education class to elementary school students in Far Rockaway, Queens, and served as a speaker to students visiting the office.

While in law school, Melissa served as the community service chairperson for Fordham’s chapter of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). She was also the vice president of the Legal Education Advocacy Program (LEAP), where she taught a Know Your Rights course to court-involved youth at the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES). Melissa was also a member of the CUNY John Jay Mentoring Committee, which mentored college students interested in attending law school. A recipient of the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award, Melissa was also a notes and articles editor for the Fordham International Law Journal.

Melissa has worked as an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at Fordham University School of Law.

Melissa has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in the Metro New York Area in the field of civil litigation: plaintiff for 2022, recognition awarded to only 5% of lawyers in the state.