Melanie Hess

Melanie Hess is an associate in Goodwin’s Complex Litigation and Dispute Resolution group.

Melanie represents clients in commercial litigation and government investigations and has experience in all stages of litigation. She has taken multiple cases to trial in both state and federal court, as well as negotiated favorable settlements for clients. Melanie has defended clients against allegations involving consumer privacy and protection statutes and other statutory and common law claims in multiple jurisdictions. In addition to litigation experience, her experience includes responding to government enforcement and investigation actions, including False Claims Act and criminal investigations.

Prior to joining Goodwin, Melanie was an associate at Hueston Hennigan, LLP, where she defended clients in a variety of high-stakes litigation matters, including a novel class action litigation alleging violations of biometric privacy laws, trade secret misappropriation claims, allegations of antitrust violations, and government investigations and enforcement actions involving the FTC, SEC, and DOJ.

During law school, Melanie interned at the Department of Justice in the Office of Foreign Litigation in the US embassy in London. She also interned at USAID in the Department of the General Counsel. 

Prior to law school, Melanie advised technology startups at a public relations agency in San Francisco.