Overview

Melissa Smith is special counsel in the Labor and Employment Practice Group in the firm's Los Angeles office.

Areas of Practice

Melissa represents employers in all aspects and stages of the litigation process in California and federal courts, and in arbitration. She has significant experience defending wage and hour class actions and PAGA representative actions and has defeated numerous class certification motions. A large portion of her practice is devoted to defending employers against claims of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. 

Melissa regularly advises employers on a panoply of workplace issues including compliance with federal, state and local laws, the use of independent contractors, employee performance management, discipline, termination, leaves of absence, requests for accommodation and the interactive process, responding to whistleblower complaints, employer investigations, workplace safety, and COVID-19-related issues affecting the workplace. She also counsels employers on an array of human resources-related issues, including personnel policies, arbitration agreements, employee handbooks, and severance and separation agreements.

In addition, Melissa regularly conducts internal investigations and audits on behalf of employers regarding harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower complaints, and wage and hour compliance. She has also created and presented client-specific trainings on the prevention of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace, and wage and hour compliance.

Insights

Memberships

Memberships

Board Member, Everybody Dance LA/ The Gabriella Foundation

Education

J.D., Pepperdine University School of Law, 2011, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif

B.A., St. Lawrence University, 2008, magna cum laude

Clerkships

  • Extern to the Honorable Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Admissions

  • California
Jump to Page

By scrolling this page, clicking a link or continuing to browse our website, you consent to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie and Advertising Policy. If you do not wish to accept cookies from our website, or would like to stop cookies being stored on your device in the future, you can find out more and adjust your preferences here.