As Managing Partner of The Francis Firm PLLC, Melissa serves as a trusted advisor and business partner to senior leadership and boards of directors, guiding them through periods of uncertainty and growth and devising and executing strategic initiatives to mitigate risk and enable businesses to achieve their objectives. With over 17 years of experience as a corporate generalist and complex commercial litigator, Melissa has represented clients on a wide array of legal, regulatory, and compliance matters as both their in-house and outside counsel. She served as General Counsel of Golden Spring (New York) Ltd., a large family office, and practiced for several years as a Litigation Partner at a national trial boutique and for a decade in Mayer Brown’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. Melissa is a litigator with substantial experience handling cross-border matters. Her practice has involved all aspects of civil litigation—including bench and jury trials—in state and federal courts throughout the United States and internationally. She has significant experience handling government and regulatory investigations and enforcement actions and running internal investigations, including large-scale cross-border investigations. Melissa also has substantial experience in immigration law, and her leadership in the pro bono arena has been recognized by her clients and colleagues alike.  She has successfully represented many refugees in asylum proceedings, including at trial, and spearheaded massive relief efforts to assist undocumented youth, domestic violence victims, and other vulnerable populations in obtaining legal status in the United States.  Melissa has served on the boards of several prominent legal service organizations and was the first recipient globally of Mayer Brown's Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year Award.Melissa served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Lewis R. Carluzzo on the U.S. Tax Court. She received her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, where she was Managing Editor of the International Law Review Journal and has since served as a guest lecturer.  Melissa received her B.A. from The University of Pennsylvania.