Our Warriors
Practice Areas:
Appellate. Complex Business.
Client Sectors:
Technology. Entrepreneurship. Finance & Banking. Gaming & Interactive Entertainment. Media & Filmed Entertainment. Music Industry & Recording Arts. Real Estate Investment and Development. Sanitation & Conservation.
Melissa Shalit is Of Counsel at FROST LLP. Having spent more than 20 years as a court attorney with the California Court of Appeal, Melissa’s unique outlook on the practice of law is informed by her significant experience approaching matters from the perspective of the judiciary. She shares that perspective with clients and attorney colleagues as part of her current practice.
Melissa’s knowledge of best practices, effective argument, and judicial expectations in an appellate context is extensive. As Senior Appellate Court Attorney at the California Court of Appeal, Second District, Melissa collaborated closely with the Honorable Judith Ashmann-Gerst in the preparation of judicial opinions across civil, criminal, and dependency law. Melissa’s focus has accordingly been on appellate matters. She was charged with evaluating arguments made at hearings, conducting in-depth legal research and analysis, and reviewing appellate briefs and trial records. In her role, Melissa was at times the first pen on both concurring and dissenting opinions and was responsible for reviewing opinions for legal soundness and guiding junior attorneys in meeting the Court’s high standards. She also assisted special masters in two Commission on Judicial Performance matters, researching key legal issues and drafting the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law of the Special Masters.
Prior to her time at the Court of Appeal, Melissa was a Judicial Law Clerk in Los Angeles County where she clerked for two civil courtrooms concurrently. There she managed a range of motions and collaborated extensively with counsel on everything from ex parte applications to resolving discovery disputes. Today she applies that experience in her dealings with opposing counsel.
Melissa began her career as a commercial litigation associate at major law firms in Los Angeles. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University, Magna Cum Laude, and a Juris Doctor from the Cardozo School of Law, where she served as an editor on the Law Review. Melissa is licensed to practice law in California.
In her life outside the law, Melissa is an avid sports fan and enjoys travel, fitness, and spending time with her four sons.