Melissa J. Tea

Melissa Tea helps clients navigate complex commercial litigation, business tort claims, and high-stakes product liability matters. Drawing on trial experience, nationwide coordinating counsel roles, and more than 30 years of practice, she provides strategic, business-focused advice designed to resolve disputes and manage risk.

Melissa is known for understanding not only the legal issues in a matter, but also the business realities driving it. She stays close to her clients' industries—monitoring market developments, public filings, and emerging risks—so she can identify challenges early and help address them before they escalate.

Her broad experience across litigation disciplines allows her to spot connections and opportunities that more siloed lawyers may miss. Clients value her ability to see the bigger picture, develop practical solutions, and bring together the right capabilities to meet their needs.

As practice area leader of the firm's Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice, Melissa maintains a distinctive perspective across industries and litigation disciplines, giving clients access to the full strength of the firm's platform while remaining personally engaged in the strategy and execution of their matters.

Industry and Work Snapshot

Melissa's practice is concentrated in the technology, manufacturing, consumer products, and industrial sectors. She represents companies in complex commercial disputes involving long-term supply agreements, construction contracts, force majeure claims, commercial contract disputes, business torts, and product liability litigation.

Her deep familiarity with the operational realities of manufacturing and industrial businesses allows her to quickly understand the commercial pressures underlying a dispute—whether the issue involves supply chain disruption, project delays, contractual performance, regulatory change, or competitive business conduct. Clients turn to Melissa when business-critical relationships are at risk and practical, business-focused solutions are required.

As client relationship partner for several key accounts, she also helps clients manage legal challenges that span multiple practice areas and jurisdictions.

What Clients Get

• Strategic guidance and practical judgment grounded in business realities. Melissa helps clients navigate the legal and commercial consequences of high-stakes disputes, balancing litigation risk, business objectives, operational realities, and long-term relationships when evaluating the best path forward.
• Early identification of risk. By staying close to her clients' businesses, industries, and competitive environments, Melissa often helps clients recognize and address issues before they escalate into litigation.
• Clear communication and steady leadership. Clients value Melissa's responsiveness, direct advice, and ability to distill complex issues into practical recommendations that support sound business decisions.
• The right team when the matter requires it. Drawing on more than three decades of experience and relationships across the firm, Melissa assembles teams tailored to the legal, industry, and business needs of each matter—allowing clients to focus on their business rather than coordinating multiple advisors.

Capabilities Snapshot

• Strategic advisor to general counsel and litigation leaders confronting complex disputes and business-critical legal issues.
• Trusted counselor on commercial contract disputes, business torts, litigation risk, and dispute resolution strategy.
• Experienced in aligning legal strategy with business objectives, operational realities, and long-term commercial relationships.
• Able to deploy multidisciplinary teams across the firm when matters require coordinated capabilities across practices, industries, and jurisdictions.
• Uses AI and advanced litigation technology to improve efficiency, insight, and client value.