Clinical Assistant Professor
Legal Skills Department, Qatar University, College of Law
Legal Skills Department, Qatar University, College of Law
Qatar University, College of Law
Qatar University, College of Law
College of Law Excellence in Community Service Award, August 2018
Melissa is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the creator of the Externship Program at Qatar University College of Law in Doha, Qatar.
Since 2011, Melissa has negotiated agreements with more than 115 legal employers, taught professionalism and professional identity formation lectures to more than 995 law students, created her college’s “Capstone” graduation project, and hosted several law career fairs. During her seven years as Director, the Externship Program’s student participation per semester increased by 850%, the number of jobs offered per semester increased by more than 800% and employer participation per semester increased by more than 400%.
Melissa has won two significant research grants from the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) and secured more than $450,000 in external funding for research.
Melissa’s research focuses on how culture affects local legal professions, legal education, professional responsibility notions, and women’s ability to join the bar and bench.
As one of her College’s first female faculty members, Melissa has been a prominent voice encouraging women to join Qatar’s legal profession. Melissa organized Qatar’s first Women in Law Conference on March 22, 2018. The conference, attended by more than 110 women, offered seven plenary and panel sessions featuring more than 20 prominent female legal professionals and VIPs.
Prior to her international work, Melissa was court-appointed defense counsel on juvenile dependency cases in San Francisco Superior Court. She also has experience working for corporate law firms in San Francisco, California and Paris, France. Melissa continues to maintain her law license in California.
Jeantet et Associés, Paris, France
Juvenile Dependency Law Panel of San Francisco, California
The Bernstein Law Group, San Francisco, California
Legal Aid Society of Lorain County, Elyria, Ohio