Melanie’s practice focuses primarily on commercial liability defense, including premises liability, products liability, automobile liability, negligence, catastrophic injury, and liquor liability (dram shop) claims.
Prior to joining Smith Freed Eberhard, Melanie worked at a defense firm in Portland where her practice focused on insurance coverage and bad faith litigation. Prior to that, she worked at insurance defense firms in both Portland and Seattle where her practice included defense of third-party claims.
During law school, Melanie worked as a law clerk for the Oregon Department of Justice, Civil Litigation Section and externed for the Honorable Ronald B. Leighton at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. She was also an Associate Editor-In-Chief on the Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy.
University of Washington School of Law, J.D., 2015
University of Washington, B.A., 2011
Member, Oregon State Bar Association
Member, Washington State Bar Association
Black Belt Trial Advocacy Training Program
Admitted, U.S. District Court of the District of Oregon
Admitted, U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington
Admitted, U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Washington
Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2024 - 2025
Best Lawyers in America: Ones To Watch, 2024
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Automotive Defense Personal Lines Property Loss		
		Washington’s Made Whole Doctrine Majorly Expanded
				Wednesday December 9, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Tenant Landlord		
		Misrepresentations During the Rental Application Process Do Not Preclude a Tenant from Rights and Remedies Under the ORLTA
				Friday November 6, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Construction Defect Litigation Developers General Contractors Subcontractors		
		A Contractor May Be Able to Escape Liability for Construction Defects but Only if the Defects Solely Resulted from the Deficient Plans or Specifications
				Wednesday October 28, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines Tenant Landlord		
		Oregon Court of Appeals Determines That Even if a Condition Takes Time to Cause Maximum Damage, the Passage of Time Does Not Necessarily Mean That an Instrum...
				Friday October 23, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense General Litigation Personal Lines		
		New Life Given to Offers to Allow Judgment
				Tuesday October 13, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Bad Faith Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Supreme Court Reminds Insurers That the Benefit of the Doubt is Not Theirs in Questions of Coverage Denial
				Monday September 21, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Construction Defect Litigation General Contractors Subcontractors		
		Washington Court of Appeals Addresses when a Construction Contract Can and Cannot be Terminated Without a Remedy Period
				Wednesday August 26, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Construction Defect Litigation First & Third Party / SIU General Litigation Personal Lines Professional Lines (EPL,D&O,E&O)		
		Oregon Supreme Court Issues Final Determination – Oregon’s $500,000 Noneconomic Damages Cap is Gone, at Least for Those Not Gone.
				Monday August 17, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Construction Defect Litigation General Litigation Personal Lines Professional Lines (EPL,D&O,E&O)		
		Oregon Extends Statutory Limitations Period on Most Civil Claims Due to COVID-19
				Thursday July 16, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Automotive Defense Commercial Liability Defense General Litigation Personal Lines		
		Washington Will Soon Require Insurers to Inform their Washington Insureds of the Availability of Agency Assistance
				Tuesday July 14, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Bad Faith Commercial Liability Defense General Litigation Personal Lines Professional Lines (EPL,D&O,E&O)		
		Washington Supreme Court Holds That an Insurance Company Agent with Authority Can Bind the Insurance Company to Provide Coverage
				Friday May 29, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense General Litigation Personal Lines		
		Washington Supreme Court Strengthens the State’s Made Whole Doctrine – Drawing Lines as to Where an Insured has Truly Been “Made Whole.”
				Tuesday May 26, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense General Litigation Personal Lines		
		Washington Court of Appeals Confirms that the Tolling Provisions of RCW 4.16.190 in Minor Personal Injury Actions are Person-Specific and Only Apply to the C...
				Monday May 4, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Construction Defect Litigation General Litigation Personal Lines		
		Oregon Court of Appeals Determines that Dismissal Without Prejudice Does not Necessarily Deprive a Plaintiff of their Day in Court.
				Thursday April 16, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense General Litigation Personal Lines Tenant Landlord		
		Oregon Legal Update: Oregon Supreme Court Addresses Whether it is Prejudicial to Defendants to Allow a Plaintiff to Amend their Pleadings Two Days Before Trial.
				Thursday March 19, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Professional Lines (EPL,D&O,E&O)		
		Oregon Court of Appeals Examines “Employee Dishonesty” and “Prior Insurance” Clauses in a Claim Arising from an 8-Year, $800,000+ Embezzlement by Claimant’s ...
				Wednesday February 19, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Personal Lines		
		Washington Supreme Court Reverses Summary Judgment Ruling in Favor of Insurer – Reminds Courts of their Limited Duties at Summary Judgment
				Tuesday February 18, 2020
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Update: Washington Court of Appeals Sides with Insurer in Dispute Over How Much a Church Was Entitled to in Compensation Under its Policy Fol...
				Thursday May 30, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Jobsite Injury Products Liability		
		Oregon Case Update: Oregon Supreme Court Determines that the Noneconomic Damages Cap Does Not Apply in Any Case Involving Workers’ Compensation
				Thursday April 25, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Negligence		
		Washington Case Law Update: Unusual Injury Suffered While Riding a Roller Coaster Allows a Plaintiff to Utilize the Doctrine of Res Ipsa Loquitur
				Thursday April 18, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Oregon Court of Appeals Reminds Litigants That Medical Bills Alone Do Not Prove That Their Treatment was Reasonable
				Thursday March 28, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: Material Facts Available in the Public Domain Lead to Dismissal of Real Estate Buyer's Lawsuit
				Thursday March 14, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Oregon Case Update: What Qualifies as an Excess Policy in the State of Oregon?
				Thursday February 21, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Timber Trespass		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Oregon Court of Appeals Requires an Insurer to Indemnify its Insured for Intentional Timber Trespass Claim Despite an Exclusion for I...
				Thursday February 14, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Automotive Defense Personal Lines		
		Washington Case Law Update: Plaintiff Must Attempt Service at ALL Known Addresses of Defendant – Whether in Washington or Elsewhere – Before Substitute Servi...
				Wednesday January 23, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Oregon Trial Court’s Award of Reduced Attorney Fees Subject to Remand Due to Insufficient Explanation
				Thursday January 17, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Washington Case Law Update: Summary Judgment Affirmed After Plaintiff Fails to Provide Evidence Showing the Cause of a Fall
				Thursday January 10, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Washington Case Law Update: Insured’s Bad Faith Lawsuit is Revived after the Washington Court of Appeals Interprets Ambiguous Insurance Terms against the Ins...
				Thursday January 3, 2019
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Plaintiffs Must Show Diminished Property Value in Order to Prevail on a Timber Trespass Claim Involving Ornamental Trees
				Thursday November 8, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines PIP		
		Washington Case Law Update: Damages and Attorney Fee Exposure Can Make a Mistaken Coverage Denial a Costly Error
				Thursday November 1, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Oregon Court of Appeals Reminds Litigants That Destruction of Evidence Can Warrant Serious Sanctions
				Thursday October 25, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Slip and Fall		
		Washington Case Law Update: Washington Court of Appeals Affirms Summary Judgment Against Unrepresented Plaintiff for Failing to Follow Procedural Rules
				Thursday October 11, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 PIP		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Oregon Court of Appeals Identifies Threshold Level of Evidence Required to Prove an Injury is Permanent
				Tuesday September 25, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Case Law Update: Servicemember’s Wrongful-Death Claim Tolled While on Active Duty
				Thursday September 13, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Construction Defect Litigation		
		Washington Case Law Update: Determining Whether Communications Between Attorneys Constitute a Settlement Agreement
				Thursday August 16, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Court of Appeals Reaffirms Position on Noneconomic Damages
				Thursday July 26, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Dram Shop & Tavern Keeper		
		Washington Case Law Update: Bar Owner Brings Suit against Police Alleging Harassment of Patrons and Staff
				Thursday July 19, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Legislative Update: Washington’s New Law Restricts Access to Medical Records in Discrimination Suits
				Thursday June 21, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Wrongful Death		
		Washington Case Law Update: Wrongful Death Claim Invalid After Survivorship Claim Against Same Defendants
				Thursday June 7, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Dram Shop & Tavern Keeper Negligence		
		Oregon Appellate Update: Oregon Supreme Court Grants Review in Two Important Cases -Tort Cap and Dram Shop
				Thursday May 24, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Washington Case Law Update: Washington Legislature Expands Mandatory Civil Arbitration to $100,000 Claims
				Thursday May 3, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Automotive Defense Personal Lines		
		Washington Case Law Update: Statutory Costs Included When Comparing Arbitration Award with Trial Judgment
				Thursday April 26, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Dram Shop & Tavern Keeper Negligence		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Patron Not Prohibited from Filing Third Party Complaint Against Alcohol Provider
				Wednesday April 18, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Automotive Defense Personal Lines		
		Washington Case Law Update: In Absence of a Special Relationship, Insurer Owes No Duty to Advise on Adequacy of Coverage
				Thursday March 29, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: Injured Worker Responsible for Defective Condition Barred from Recovery from Landowner
				Thursday March 15, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Negligence		
		Washington Case Law Update: Can a Firefighter Who Is Injured at an Accident Scene Recover from Parties That Caused the Accident?
				Wednesday February 28, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Update: Internal System for Inspecting Equipment Saves Owner from Premises Liability Claim
				Wednesday January 10, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Washington Case Law Update: Store Owner Cannot Escape from Vicarious Liability for Faulty Escalator
				Thursday January 4, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Plaintiffs Can Be Barred from Recovery if Engaged in Felony
				Thursday January 4, 2018
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Court Upholds Defamation Claim for Tweets and Customer Website Reviews
				Thursday December 14, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Plaintiff Who Voluntarily Consumed Alcohol May Sue Social Host. The Effect On Business Unclear
				Thursday November 30, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Oregon Court of Appeals Takes a Swipe at the Statutory Cap on Non-Economic Damages
				Thursday November 16, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Case Law Update: Court Upholds Liability Limitation in Commercial Lease Agreement
				Wednesday November 8, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: Proving Causation: An Expert in a Premises Liability Claim May be Sufficient
				Wednesday November 1, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Case Law Update: When is Police Officer Testimony Admissible?
				Wednesday October 25, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Washington Case Law Update: Assert Your Counterclaims in a Timely Manner or Forfeit Them Forever
				Thursday October 19, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Using an Expert Witnesses to Defeat a Motion for Summary Judgment
				Thursday October 5, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: When Will Courts Set Aside a Default Judgment?
				Thursday September 28, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: Can Third Parties Sue Insurance Companies Under the Consumer Protection Act?
				Thursday September 21, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: When is a Losing Party Entitled to Relief from Judgment?
				Thursday September 14, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: Is the Statute of Limitations Tolled if the Wrong Defendant is Served?
				Thursday September 7, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: When is a Statement Considered an Offer to Compromise?
				Thursday August 31, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Personal Lines		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Amendments Retroactive if Legislature Indicates
				Thursday August 24, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: How Do you Determine if a Statement is Defamatory?
				Thursday August 24, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Washington Case Law Update: Employer Not Strictly Liable for Missed Meal Breaks
				Thursday August 17, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Employment Law Update: Oregon’s New “Predictive Scheduling” Law
				Thursday August 17, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: Contract Provision May Entitle Prevailing Party to Attorneys’ Fees
				Thursday August 10, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense		
		Washington Case Law Update: Participating in Litigation May Constitute Waiver of Certain Arguments
				Thursday August 3, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Employment Law Update: Oregon’s New Minimum Wage Law Now in Effect
				Thursday July 27, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Negligence		
		Washington Case Law Update: Parent’s Negligent Supervision not Tortious, Cannot Reduce Child’s Recovery
				Thursday July 20, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Oregon Law Update: Oregon’s $500,000 Noneconomic Damages Cap Remains Untouched by Legislation
				Thursday July 20, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Construction Defect Litigation		
		Washington Case Law Update: No Damages Recoverable under New Home Sale Agreement for Improperly Installed…
				Thursday July 6, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Personal Lines		
		Washington Case Law Update: Plaintiff Must Be “Foreseeable” to Bring Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress Claim
				Thursday June 29, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Case Law Update: No Attorney Fees for Unlawful Withholding of Wages Where Defendant Acted in Good Faith
				Wednesday June 14, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Case Law Update: Loss-of-Chance Theory of Recovery Established in Oregon
				Wednesday June 7, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Case Law Update: Oregon Trial Court Rolls Back BOLI Guidance on Overtime Laws
				Thursday May 25, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Washington Case Law Update: Recreational Immunity Applies Only if Land is Held Open to Public Solely for Recreational Use
				Thursday May 18, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 PIP		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Evidence Required to Establish Excusable Neglect
				Tuesday April 25, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Washington Case Law Update: Speculation Does Not Create Issue of Material Fact
				Thursday April 20, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Washington Case Law Update: Borrowed Servant Doctrine is Jury Question Where Complete Control is Disputed
				Thursday March 9, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 PIP		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Ninth Circuit Scraps Lawsuit against Rape Accuser under Oregon’s anti-SLAPP Law
				Thursday March 2, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Employment Update: FLSA Overtime Rule Blocked Until May 2017
				Wednesday February 22, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Washington Case Law Update: When Does Employer Immunity Protect the Employee?
				Thursday February 9, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
					
		Oregon Case Law Update: Defendant’s Constructive Knowledge of Abuse Sufficient to Overcome Summary Judgment
				Thursday January 26, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Wrongful Death		
		Washington Case Law Update: Wrongful Death Claim Accrued Upon Murderer’s Conviction
				Thursday January 26, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 General Litigation		
		Washington Case Law Update: Service by Mail Requires Evidence that Defendant is Avoiding Service
				Thursday January 19, 2017
		
	
		
					
	
		
		
			Legal Alert		
		
		
			 Commercial Liability Defense Negligence Premises Liability Wrongful Death		
		Oregon Case Law Update: Oregon Expands Liability for Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress
				Thursday January 19, 2017
		
	
						
	
		
		
			Award & Recognition		
		
					
		
		 Commercial Liability Defense Construction Defect Litigation Personal Lines		
		The Best Lawyers in America© 2019 Announced
				Thursday November 21, 2019