EDUCATION
University of Arizona (J.D. 2003, summa cum laude and Order of the Coif; B.A. 1998, magna cum laude and With Honors)
CLERKSHIPS
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2003-2004 (Hon. William C. Canby)
PUBLICATIONS
- Courtside, Communications Lawyer (July 2008)
- Courtside, Communications Lawyer (Summer 2007)
- Murdering Innocence: The Constitutionality of Capital Child Rape Statutes, Ariz. L. Rev. 197 (2003)
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- KNX Radio – LAPD Investigation into LA City Council Recording (October 2022)
- NewsNation – Privacy Implications of Ring Doorbell Footage (July 2022)
- Law 360 – DOJ Antitrust Policies (April and July 2022)
- Associate of Business Trial Lawyers – FBI v. Apple (2017)
Melissa Meister
Senior Counsel
- 310-295-9524
- mmeister@brsllp.com
- California
Melissa is a skilled and experienced litigator who has tried civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts across the United States. As a former Department of Justice Trial Attorney and Assistant United States Attorney, Melissa also has extensive experience with government investigations and regulatory matters. Melissa has represented clients across a panoply of industries in high-stakes litigation, including blockchain and cryptocurrency; hospital and health care providers; large pension funds; public universities; industrial supply; and defense contractors.
Melissa began her career at the Department of Justice, where she worked in both the Antitrust Division and Civil Frauds Section. She also served for approximately five years as an Assistant United States Attorney in both the District of Arizona and the Southern District of California. Melissa also has more than a decade of experience as a complex commercial and white-collar litigator at law firms such as Jenner & Block and Arent Fox Schiff. Melissa has been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in Los Angeles since 2021.
Melissa is a former Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals clerk, a former legal writing professor, and her law review note was cited by the United States Supreme Court in Kennedy v. Louisiana in 2008. Melissa attended The University of Arizona for both college and law school. During law school, Melissa won the moot court competition and was an editor for the University of Arizona Law Review. Melissa graduated law school summa cum laude and Order of the Coif. She is currently admitted to practice in California, Arizona, and the District of Columbia.
Melissa is a life-long sports player and aficionado and currently serves on the AYSO Legal Advisory Board. Melissa plays both soccer and softball and coaches AYSO soccer and Little League baseball.
