DREAMCOUNSEL®?
Definition: “DREAMCOUNSEL®”:
a) Practical (verb): Providing legal counsel to clients pursuing their dreams;
b) Aspirational (noun): To be the legal counsel of a client’s dreams.
From Melissa:
You could say law is in my DNA. I grew up in Minneapolis with a litigator father who treated our family dinner table as a dynamic mock jury, and welcomed my youthful verdict on whatever case he had at the time. As a child, if I wanted my dad to do something, I would handwrite a “contract”. If he signed it, I knew he would follow through.
Also true to my heritage, my dream was to be self-employed, like my dad and several generations of fiercely independent Allen solo practitioners before him. I first ventured into self-employment in high school as a photographer. Later, I opened my law practice. My two chosen fields (photography and law) hone similar skills: Both filter a reality through the lens of a particular point of view.
My dream? To realize a vision sparked by my past but refined by my present: The freedom to express myself, my style, and my spirit.
I understand my clients because they too are pursuing their dreams.
Education
Haverford College (B.A.)
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University (B.A.)
Emory School of Law (J.D.)
Organizations
American Bar Association (Member)
Tennessee Bar Association (Member)
International Trademark Association (INTA) (Member)
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Member)
Art Institute of Chicago, Evening Associates, Alumni Member
Teacher | Panelist | Host
Legal expert/co-host on various television shows and industry legal panels, and teacher of self-designed courses on trademark and copyright law and “Paralegal Bootcamp”.
What to Look for in a Lawyer
Friends often ask me what to look for in a lawyer.
Simply put: Advocacy.
You should unequivocally feel that your lawyer is your advocate.
That does not mean telling you that your case is perfect or that you’ll win. It does mean being fully committed to you and your case, respecting you, and addressing your needs.
Leadership | Giving Back
Chairman, Board Member, Art Institute of Chicago, Evening Associates
Chairman, Alumni Awards Committee, Alumni Association, Haverford College
President, Women’s Club of Nashville
Board Member, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Certifications
Mediator. “Certificate of Completion”; Conflict Resolution Center; Minneapolis, MN
Mentor. “Approved Mentor Certification”; Tennessee Supreme Court under TN Supreme Court Rule 21 and Regulation 5K; From inaugural year
My Style of Advocacy
I Want Happy Clients.
Actions that I consider core to my style of advocacy for every case include:
Respect. You will always be treated with respect, compassion, and appreciation.
Priority. Whether I have 1 or 100 clients, you should feel as if you’re the only one.
Follow-Through. If I tell you I will do something, I do it.
Uninterrupted Attention. When we speak, you alone will be my focus.
Prompt Response. I strive to provide 24 hour or less turn-around to client contact.
Translation. I will explain your options, documents, and potential outcome.
Approachability. Any question you may have along the way about your case, timeline, or bill, is welcomed and will be answered to your satisfaction.
Billing. Fairness and Communication are the cornerstones of my billing practices.
Passion. You should feel my commitment to your case at every step in the process.
Mentors
The importance of mentors in the field of law cannot be underestimated. To name but a few of the “greats” on my virtual wall of influence:
The Honorable Walter J. Kurtz, who showed me the behind-the-scenes of a courtroom as his law clerk and in the process granted me access to a fair and brilliant legal mind in action
James Johnson, then-Chief Legal Counsel at Coca-Cola, who educated me on the process of comprehensive and incisive trademark analysis during my law school clerkship
Master Nicky Padfield, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, who exemplifies a passionate legal scholar, compassionate leader, and champion of civil rights
Ansel Adams, who responded to a letter I wrote him about my photography business and expanded my concept of perspective under his tutelage
These individuals did more than share information. They allowed me into their worlds and thus influenced me as a person.
