Experience 

Melissa Pastrana is a partner in the firm’s litigation practice.  She focuses her practice on commercial litigation, particularly matters involving insurance, allegations of breach of contract, torts and breach of fiduciary duty, allegations of securities fraud, and alleged violations of ERISA, as well as disputes arising out of real estate transactions, and class actions.  Melissa practices before federal and state courts (at both trial and appellate levels), and in private arbitrations and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

Melissa counsels and represents insurance companies, real estate developers, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, and individuals.  Her clients have included The Dow Chemical Company, Union Carbide Corporation, Amchem Products, Inc., UBS, Lloyd’s of London, The Carlyle Group, Dorinco Insurance, Amgen, and BNSF.

Melissa holds degrees from Harvard and the University of Chicago.  She practiced in the Firm’s Chicago litigation group from 2001 to 2006.  From 2006-2007, she served as a judicial law clerk to Justice Elizabeth B. Lacy of the Supreme Court of Virginia.  In 2007, Melissa rejoined the Firm’s litigation group as a senior associate in the firm’s Los Angeles office, and was promoted to partner in 2010.  She is licensed to practice in California and Illinois.

Notable Engagements 

• Currently representing a real estate developer in a suit for breach of indemnity and breach of contract
• Representation of publicly traded company in litigation and private arbitrations regarding coverage for claims based on asbestos and premises liability
• Representation of international investment bank in class action alleging breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA
• Representation of publicly traded pharmaceutical company in several putative class actions alleging violations of federal securities laws and in suits alleging violations of ERISA
• In putative class action, representation of international financial institution in suits alleging violations of breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA related to the 401(k) investment options offered to the institution’s employees
• Representation of manufacturer of light-emitting diode (“LED”) displays in suits in Texas and California federal courts, alleging breach of contract, defamation, slander, conspiracy, and various other business torts.

Education 

The University of Chicago Law School, JD, 2001 • Harvard University, AB, cum laude, 1996

Admitted

• US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 2009
• US District Court for the Central District of California, 2008
• California, 2007
• US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2001
• Illinois, 2001