Melanie A. Assad

Melanie Assad is an attorney with the firm's General Litigation practice group and is based in the firm's Grand Rapids office, where she handles a wide range of insurance defense matters, as well as other civil litigation cases.

She has experience managing cases from inception to resolution, including drafting pleadings, discovery, and dispositive motions, conducting depositions, and representing clients in court proceedings.  Melanie has defended cases across the State of Michigan, appearing in various courts throughout the state.  In her practice, she:

• Manages and defends a high-volume caseload, including PIP, third-party bodily injury, and UM/UIM cases.
• Handles premises liability, products liability, and commercial litigation matters.
• Appears at facilitation, settlement conferences, and motion hearings in both state and federal court.
• Conducts legal research and drafts motions, pleadings, discovery, deposition summaries, reports, and correspondence.
• Advises clients on litigation strategy and case developments.

Melanie earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 2022. During law school, her law review article, “Van Buren v. United States: An Employer Defeat or Hackers’ Victory – Or Something in Between?”, was published in the UIC Review of Intellectual Property Law. She received her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University.

Outside the practice of law, Melanie enjoys hiking, traveling, exercising at orange theory fitness, and spending time with her three huskies.

Legal Affiliations

• State Bar of Michigan
  • Member
  • Litigation Section Governing Council, 2024-2027
• Ingham County Bar of Michigan
  • Member
• Western District of Michigan
  • Member
• Grand Rapids Bar Association
  • Member