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Melissa Jones is a litigation partner in the Securities Litigation and White-Collar Defense Practice, Appellate and Trial Practice groups. Her practice focuses on complex civil and criminal litigation. She represents clients in cases involving claims of fraud, unfair competition, breach of contract, and has conducted internal investigations for publicly traded companies. She also represents individuals in federal criminal matters. Ms. Jones graduated Order of the Coif from U.C. Davis School of Law in 1999. Before joining the Firm, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Harry Pregerson, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In 2007, she was selected to serve a three-year term as a Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference on behalf of the Eastern District of California.

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Representative Matters

Trial and Appellate

• Oakland Raiders v. Oakland Alameda County Coliseum (OACC): participated on the trial and appellate team on behalf of OACC. The Raiders sought over one billion dollars in damages and obtained judgment of $34 million. The verdict in favor of the Raiders was fully overturned after a successful appeal by OACC. Published at 144 Cal. App. 4th 1175 (2006).
• Grant Thornton LLP: Obtained favorable settlement on eve of trial in action involving claims of accounting malpractice and negligent misrepresentation/deceit.
• Pro Bono Appeal: Successful appeal in the Ninth Circuit resulting in new law concerning the imminent danger exception to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). Published at 493 F.3d 1047 (2007).
• Hunter v. UPS: Obtained favorable settlement for UPS in wrongful death action on the eve of trial.
• Nugent v. UPS: Obtained favorable settlement for UPS in personal injury action after successful motion in limine on novel issue concerning a claim for bystander emotional distress.

Criminal Defense

• Medicare Fraud: Assisted James Brosnahan with the successful defense of a cardiologist from Redding, California in a federal Medicare fraud case. After a year and a half of pre-indictment advocacy, the government decided not to prosecute.
• Misbranding of pharmaceuticals: Defend CEO of pharmaceutical company accused with violating federal laws prohibiting off-label marketing. Matter ongoing.
• Neutrality Act: Defend individual accused of engaging in a conspiracy to overthrow the government of Laos, and related weapons charges. Matter ongoing.

Internal Investigations

• Brocade Communications: Conducted internal investigation regarding stock option issues for Audit Committee.
• First Virtual Communications: Conducted internal investigation regarding accounting issues for Audit Committee.
• Confidential investigation: Conducted internal investigations for large state-wide professional association regarding accounting and employee issues.

Other Complex Civil Litigation

• Lee v. Capital One Bank: Defend Capital One in consumer class action; motion to dismiss granted. Published at 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17113 (N.D. Cal. 2008).
• Clayworth v. Pfizer et al.: Represented a pharmaceutical manufacturer in an alleged price fixing case; obtained favorable settlement at early stage in the litigation.