Melissa provides advice on corporate governance matters and private and public corporate transactions, including initial public offerings, mergers, asset sales, domestications, dissolutions and financing transactions. Clients look to Melissa for specialized knowledge of Delaware law when structuring transactions and confronting complex or novel corporate issues.

Her work also involves guiding Delaware corporations on the requirements of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL), counseling boards of directors and board committees with respect to fiduciary duties, and providing formal legal opinions on issues of Delaware law.

In her M&A practice, Melissa provides advice regarding public and private company acquisitions, fiduciary duty and conflict issues, and Delaware aspects of equity acquisition financing. She regularly serves as counsel to special committees of the boards of directors of Delaware corporations, providing insight on matters of Delaware law.

Melissa frequently provides reasoned and bottom line legal opinions in a number of contexts, including in connection with assessing whether a transaction constitutes a sale of all or substantially all of a corporation’s assets, in connection with real estate transactions entered into by Delaware corporations in foreign jurisdictions, and in connection with ordinary lending transactions.

Drawing on her extensive knowledge of the DGCL, Melissa prepares documents and conducts diligence in connection with the ratification of defective corporation acts pursuant to Section 204 and Section 205.

Melissa is involved with the American Bar Association’s Mergers and Acquisitions Committee. She is a current member of the Delaware State Bar Association’s (DSBA) Council of the Corporation Law Section. In that capacity, she participates in the annual review of, and preparation of amendments to, the DGCL. Appointed by the Delaware Supreme Court, Melissa served on the Delaware Board of Bar Examiners from 2015-2017. 

Melissa frequently speaks on Delaware corporate law issues with a focus on M&A developments, the changing litigation landscape, and technical guidance from the Delaware courts on drafting matters.

News & Insights

Honors & Recognitions

Chambers USA: Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers, ranked in Delaware corporate M&A, 2021-2023

The Legal 500 US, Leading Lawyer in M&A corporate and commercial Delaware counsel, 2021-2023

IFLR1000 United States, recognized as a leading Delaware attorney, 2018-2023

Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America, listed for corporate law, M&A and Delaware law, 2024

Who’s Who Legal, selected for inclusion for corporate governance, 2016, 2018-2022

The Best Lawyers in America, included in Delaware corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions, 2020-2024, and corporate law, 2021-2024

Professional & Civic

American Bar Association (Business Law Section, Committee on Mergers and Acquisitions)

Delaware Board of Bar Examiners (appointed by Delaware Supreme Court, 2015-2017)

Delaware State Bar Association

Ursuline Academy, Wilmington, DE (Board of Trustees, 2022-present)

Education

Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University, JD, magna cum laude, 2001 
The Dickinson Law Review, Comments Editor

Mount Saint Mary’s University, BA, English and History, magna cum laude, 1998

Admissions

  • Delaware, 2001

Melissa is actively involved with the American Bar Association’s Mergers and Acquisitions Committee and serves as the co-chair of the Private Company Merger Agreement Working Group.

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