ATTORNEYS

Melanie has her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Political Science and History from Illinois State University. While in law school, Melanie worked as a Claims Reviewer for the UNR Trust. Following law school, she acquired experience in toxic tort defense litigation, practicing for a private firm in central Illinois. Melanie returned to Claims Processing Facility, (“CPF”) a cooperative asbestos personal injury settlement Trusts including the UNR Trust and Eagle-Picher Trust in 2000, coordinating and directing the Disputed Claims Department. Her responsibilities included directing members’ Alternative Dispute Resolution programs, EPI Trust claim value negotiations and EPI Trust final claim disallowances. In 2005, she became General Counsel to CPF and EPI Trust. As General Counsel, Melanie was responsible for CPF human resource department, negotiating the facility’s vendor contracts and service agreements, and serving as liaison between CPF organization and the EPI Trust’s and CPF outside legal counsel and oversaw the Trusts’ Alternative Dispute Resolution programs. From 2014-2022, Melanie served as the CPF President and Executive Director of the EPI Trust. As the President of CPF, Melanie served as liaison to the client Trust Boards of Trustees and professionals including investment managers, actuarial, auditors and tax consultants and CPF’s claims, legal, IT and accounting teams. Melanie has over two decades of asbestos personal injury claims administration experience and takes pride in turning the settlement process into a collaborative experience and ensuring that expectations are met or exceeded.

In April 2023 Melanie joined the Vinson Law Firm to work alongside one of the fastest growing plaintiff firms in the country working with team members that are dedicated to the mission in seeing all asbestos personal injury victims are represented in a fair and equitable manner.