Melissa is an attentive client-centred lawyer, a strategic and commercial thinker who acts as a trusted advisor for her clients and contacts. Melissa is praised by her clients for her strong negotiation skills always protecting her clients’ interests and often unlocking creative solutions.

She acts for businesses and individuals, resolving a wide range of disputes including breach of contract between companies and their suppliers, problems arising between shareholders or partners, reputation protection, financial, debt and insurance disputes. She represents both claimants and defendants in professional negligence cases and defends professionals in disciplinary proceedings.

Melissa has acted both for and against a wide range of professionals, and their insurers, including accountants, solicitors, IFAs, veterinary surgeons, engineers, architects, surveyors and other construction professionals.

Melissa has advised on litigation in the County Court, High Court and Court of Appeal and regularly uses mediation as a form of dispute resolution. She has been published in legal journals on a variety of litigation issues. Melissa has also been interviewed by the national press and has appeared live on BBC television and radio discussing legal cases.

In 2022 Melissa was interviewed by Radio 4 to give her advice on commercial contract disputes.

Examples of how Melissa has helped clients include:

• avoiding a £40 million claim from, and maintaining a working relationship with, a leading customer in an engineering dispute by agreeing that a client would put right the issue under dispute;
• defending a multi-million pound contractual claim brought by an international telecommunications provider against a UK corporate;
• representing a claimant in respect of a multi-million pound claim against a tax advisor following the settlement of client assets into an offshore trust;
• obtaining redress for a client who had been mis-sold a property investment in the Caribbean which was never built;
• pursuing claims on behalf of several clients against a solicitor who acted in breach of trust when handling personal injury and clinical negligence claims over a number of years;
• achieving a settlement for a client against a firm of solicitors for failing to advise on security provisions in an agreement;
• advising a client about the enforceability of restrictive covenants in a shareholders’ agreement;
• negotiating terms of exit for a director/shareholder following a company dispute;
• successfully concluding a claim by a mortgage lender against a chartered surveyor who over-valued commercial property;
• securing agreement from a newspaper that it would not publish a potentially damaging and misleading article about a corporate;
• ensuring a vet continued in practice after facing a complaint before the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons; and
• advising a solicitor being investigated by the SRA facing allegations of dishonesty.

What clients have said about Melissa’s work;

“It was critical that I commissioned the right solicitor to deal with my insurance dispute. I needed someone who was honest with opinions, tenacious with approach, accurate with detail and, above all, realistic in managing my expectations; qualities that Melissa has in abundance. I would happily recommend this solicitor to anyone looking for a quality service.”

“Melissa is everything I look for in a solicitor. She is client focused and committed to providing a high quality of professional service. Melissa worked tirelessly for me to achieve the very best outcome in my professional negligence claim and was always friendly and approachable. I felt confident and assured with Melissa handling my case and I never doubted I was in safe hand.”

“Melissa has successfully represented me over the last three years. Throughout Melissa has maintained the highest standards of professionalism and care for my best interests. I would have no hesitation in recommending Melissa as a highly trustworthy, well contacted and professional solicitor”

“Melissa worked with me for approximately four years during which time I can categorically state that she is calm and capable under extreme pressure and has an extremely sharp mind but carries the grace and compassion to take the time to help one understand even the finest details without even a hint of arrogance or frustration. Melissa is extremely caring and always went the extra mile….I would follow Melissa anywhere with my business concerns as I know I would always be in the safest of hands”