Melissa Hewey

Practice Areas

Melissa Hewey is an accomplished litigator with substantial experience across a broad range of practice areas, including insurance defense, school law, higher education law, employment matters, and complex commercial litigation. Melissa has represented a diverse set of clients, such as insurance companies, schools, colleges and universities, municipalities, law firms, hospitals, individuals, and businesses in a variety of industries.

Melissa has tried a wide range of cases and argued significant appeals in state and federal courts in Maine and New Hampshire. She regularly represents clients in complex litigation in federal court, including in class action and mass tort cases. In her higher education practice, Melissa works regularly with colleges and universities around the country on Title IX matters, serving in the roles of investigator, decision maker, and at the appellate level. In litigation, Melissa has the expertise, preparation, and commitment to her clients to take their cases from inception to verdict or judgment if trial is required.

From 2020 to 2024, Melissa was recognized as a Top Five Maine Lawyer by Super Lawyers. Benchmark Litigation lists her as one of the Top 250 Women in Litigation nationwide.

For almost 20 years, Melissa has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America for employment, education, municipal, and commercial law categories. She is the first woman in Maine to be inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers and was elected as a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America’s Trial Lawyer Honorary Society. Melissa also serves on the pro bono panel for the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Program in Portland, Maine.

Professional Memberships

-Trial Law Institute

-College of School Attorneys

-Litigation Counsel of America

-American College of Trial Lawyers

-Maine State Bar Association

-Maine Bar Foundation

-New Hampshire Bar Association

-Maine Trial Lawyers Association

Publications

-Co-Author, Maine School Law (4th ed. 2012)

Expert in these Jurisdictions

-Maine

-New Hampshire

-Passamaquoddy Tribal Court

-U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

-U.S. District Court for the District of Maine

-U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire

Education

Awards