Focuses on transactions throughout the world involving complex geopolitical risk, economic sanctions and international trade issues.
Recognized in particular for her 30 years of experience advising clients on the identification and mitigation of sanctions and international trade risks in financings, mergers and acquisitions, special situation transactions, joint ventures and other investments.

With a highly diversified practice, Melissa is a trusted advisor on complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions, with more than three decades of structuring and advising on transactions with the aim of anticipating and mitigating the impact of a broad variety of geopolitical risks, particularly sanctions and international trade issues.

Beyond her client work, Melissa is a member of Akin’s Firmwide Management Committee and Firmwide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, and serves as the Firmwide Professional Development Partner.

Representative Work

Advised numerous multinational companies on their divestments from Russia since 2022.
Advised lenders as well as borrowers on sanctions and international trade issues in connection with financings.
Advised companies and investors on sanctions and international trade risks, and mitigation thereof, in connection with M&A transactions, joint ventures as well as debt and equity offerings.
Advised numerous hedge, private equity and other funds with respect to the impact of Russian, Venezuelan and other sanctions programs on both investors as well as portfolio investments.
Advised multinational companies with global footprints on U.S. sanctions and trade compliance issues, particularly in light of Russian counter-measures to sanctions.

Advised Roswell Park Cancer Research Institute on its historic U.S.-Cuban joint venture focused on cancer research with the aim of bringing a lung cancer vaccine to Roswell Park and the United States for clinical testing and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection.
Advised a Securities and Exchange (SEC)-registered issuer on its voluntary self-disclosure to the Office of Foreign Assets Control regarding sanctions violations, including advising on its public disclosure and negotiations with lenders.

Education
J.D., Harvard Law School, cum laude, 1991
B.A., Cornell University, with distinction, 1988

Bar Admissions
District of Columbia
New York

Recognitions

The American Lawyer Industry Awards, Best Mentor: Law Firm, Finalist, 2024.
Corporate Counsel, Women, Influence & Power in Law: Best Mentor, 2022.
Diversity Journal, Women Worth Watching in Leadership, 2022.

Affiliations and Public Service

Board of Trustees and First Vice President, Washington Hebrew Congregation, 2016-present
Member, Leadership Team, Washington Hunger Project, September 2012-present
Board of Trustees, Washington International School, 2018-2021
Board member and secretary of the board, The Global Fund for Children, 2016-2019
Founding Board Member and Secretary, Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center, 2013-2016

Speeches and Publications

“Regulatory Update: Amendments to US Executive Order (E.O) 13959,” Bank of America Merrill Lynch Webinar (June 11, 2021).
“Cross-Border M&A: The U.S. Government Has a Seat at the Table,” Houston Bar Association M&A Section Meeting (Houston, TX, November 21, 2019).
“Closing the Deal: Practical Insights and Legal Considerations in Cross-Border Transactions,” The Association of Corporate Counsel National Capital Region Meeting (Washington, D.C., February 26, 2019).
“Sanctions: Vigilance in an Increasingly Complex Global Environment,” Akin Energy Symposium (La Jolla, CA, October 12, 2018).
“Issues to Consider in the Sanctions Era,” Akin Energy Symposium (La Jolla, CA, September 9, 2016).
“Issues to Consider in the Sanctions Era,” The Global Energy Industry: 2016 Mid-Year Energy Briefing (Houston, TX, July 14, 2016).