Melissa Gardner is Assistant Managing Partner of the Phoenix office of Gordon & Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP. Melissa is also licensed in Illinois and is a member of the National Trial Practice Group. She is an experienced litigator who handles sophisticated legal disputes. She currently handles all aspects of litigation, from claim inception through resolution at trial or on appeal. Melissa has first chaired numerous trials and arbitrations, both before the judge and jury. She regularly counsels corporate and private individuals alike in the defense of a wide array of legal actions. Melissa has actively litigated cases involving medical fraud, auto accidents, trucking and transportation, personal injury, premises liability, product liability, wrongful death, breach of contract, insurance coverage and bad faith issues to name a few. Melissa is actively involved in various professional organizations, including the Arizona Women Lawyer’s Association, the State Bar of Arizona, the State Bar of Illinois, and the Chicago Bar Association. Melissa earned her Juris Doctor from the DePaul University College of Law in 2015, where she was honored with the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Trial Advocacy in 2014. Prior to her legal education, she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Illinois in 2012.