Melissa’s area of expertise includes the general practice of local governmental law, with a focus on labor and employment law and human resources compliance. Melissa counsels municipalities, townships and special districts regarding general local governmental matters and the Freedom of Information Act, Open Meetings Act, social media, zoning, annexation and labor and employment.  She serves as city attorney to the City of Rolling Meadows, village attorney to the Village of Villa Park and township attorney to the Township of Schaumburg.  She also provides legal counsel to road and special districts, police pension boards and boards of fire and police commissioners.  

As a labor and employment law attorney, Melissa counsels public and private employers on all aspects of the employment relationship, including hiring, discipline and termination procedures and practices. Melissa advises and represents local government employers in matters arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act and the Public Employee Disability Act. Melissa’s experience includes handling matters before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Human Rights and other federal and state agencies involving a broad range of labor and employment laws. Her labor relations experience includes litigating grievance and interest arbitration matters and handling unfair labor practice matters on behalf of employers.

Melissa has extensive experience conducting neutral workplace investigations on behalf of employers on matters involving workplace misconduct, including those alleging harassment, discrimination, retaliation, failure to accommodate, wage and hour violations and other employment-related matters. Melissa has prepared numerous employment documents including employer policies, procedures and handbooks and has successfully negotiated the resolution of numerous separation and release agreements representing both individual employees as well as employers.

Additionally, Melissa has facilitated the training of various municipal officers and employees on ethics compliance and a wide range of municipal and employment matters. She has also conducted training for the members of the Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association (IPELRA) on social media and privacy in the workplace issues.

Melissa is admitted to practice before Illinois state and federal courts and is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. She is a member of the Illinois Bar Association and the Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association.