Melanie is a litigator with a diverse civil litigation practice focusing on catastrophic injury, premises liability, automobile liability, dram shop, and commercial litigation. Melanie’s practice takes her all over the state of Oregon and Washington regularly, and occasionally into Idaho as well. She has given a number of presentations on changes in Oregon and Washington law highlighting the Pacific Northwest’s unique legal landscape.
Before joining Smith Freed Eberhard, Melanie handled first-party insurance claims including claims related to PIP, UM/UIM, bad faith, and consumer protection act claims on behalf of insurance carriers. Melanie also has experience handling insurance subrogation matters. This high-volume practice placed a premium on efficiency, diligence, and energy that has carried over into her current practice.
In law school, Melanie won awards for both client advocacy and legal writing. Some of Melanie’s first experiences in the legal community were volunteering for the Washington County Family Law Assistance Program and working at the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic.
Melanie is an Oregon native and grew up in a handful of smaller, Southern Oregon towns. She moved to the big city for law school, fell in love with Portland, and can’t imagine being anywhere else. Away from work, Melanie can usually be found teaching knitting lessons at a local yarn shop, checking out a local brewery, or getting her yearly supply of Vitamin D during the 4 months of the year that it’s dry enough to be outside.
Lewis and Clark Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2012
Lawrence University, B.A., summa cum laude, 2009
Member, Oregon State Bar Association
Member, Washington State Bar Association
Member, Idaho State Bar Association
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
Admitted, U.S. District Court of the District of Idaho
Admitted, U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2021-2023
Best Lawyers in America, 2024
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