Meeker Harnett, Melissa

Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Ms. Meeker Harnett serves as Department Head for the Class Action Department.  She has many years of experience handling class actions and complex litigation, including matters in the areas of consumer fraud, antitrust, RICO and employment disputes.  She is also experienced in general civil litigation, appellate practice, insurance disputes, entertainment litigation, eminent domain/condemnation proceedings and equine law.  Ms. Meeker Harnett has been appointed as class counsel in numerous class actions, including in the matters of: Friedman v. 24 Hour Fitness, United States District Court for the Central District of California, case number 06-06282; Bacca v. BMW of North America, Inc., United States District Court for the Central District of California, case number 06-06753; Wilson v. Airborne Inc., United States District Court for the Central District of California, case number EDCV 07-770; Ramirez v. Seaboard Produce Distributors, Inc., Ventura County Superior Court case number CIV-232600; De Leon v. Maxine Swim Group, Los Angeles Superior Court case no. BC 334225.  Ms. Meeker Harnett has also served on the Executive Committee for a number of class actions, including multi-district litigation cases pending in federal courts throughout the United States.

Published works include: "Condemnation Alert: Kelo v. City of New London", July, 2005; : "Should Abused Women be Held Criminally Responsible for Child Abuse Perpetrated by their Lovers?" Legal Dissertation 1992; "Doing Business Online: Can Your Company Be Sued In Other States Or Countries?", Online Business Journal, 2008.  Speaking engagements have included presentations on class actions before the Ventura County Bar Association Litigation Chapter, and a national teleconference entitled "False Advertising Consumer Class Actions on the Rise."  Ms. Meeker Harnett has been interviewed by national news publications, including the National Law Journal, and television news channels to lend her expertise to news items concerning class action litigation.

Areas of Practice

• Appellate
• Class Action (Department Head)
• Complex Litigation
• Intellectual Property

Representative Clients

• Consumers
• Employees

West Practice Categories

Intellectual Property Law, Litigation & Appeals, Class Actions

Bar Admissions

• California, 1993
• U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1993
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 2002
• U.S. Supreme Court, 2008
• U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 2008
• U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 2008
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 2008

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Aqua Dulce Town Council, 2001 - 2003 (Elected Council Person)
• Aqua Dulce Unified School District Governing Board, 2003 - 2007 (Trustee)
• The Thacher School, 2005 - 2006 (Member, Development Committee)
• United States Equestrian Federation (Licensed Dressage Judge)
• National Association of Consumer Advocates (Member)
• Consumer Attorneys of California (Member)
• Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (Member)

Honors and Awards

• Counsel, "Agua Dulce Against Power Towers", October 10, 2007
• Agua Dulce Town Council Certificate of Appreciation and Recognition, November 14, 2007
• Certificate of Recognition by California Legislative Committee, in honor of serving as a Member of Assemblywoman Audra Strickland's Education Advisory Committee, February 2008

Classes and Seminars

• Presentation on class actions before the Ventura County Bar Association Litigation Chapter
• National teleconference entitled "False Advertising Consumer Class Actions on the Rise."
• Ms. Harnett has been interviewed by national news publications, including the National Law Journal, and television news channels to lend her expertise to news items concerning class action litigation

Past Employment Positions

• Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp, Associate, 2000 - 2006

Education

• University of Southern California Law School, Los Angeles, California, 1992
  J.D.
  Law Journal: USC Woman's Law Journal, Founding Board Member
• University of California, Los Angeles, California, 1989
  B.A.
  Honors: Dean's List
  Major: English and Motion Picture/Television

References

• Provided Upon Request

Published Works

• "Condemnation Alert: Kelo v. City of New London", MS&K Real Estate Department Alert, July, 2005
• Legal Dissertation: "Should Abused Women be Held Criminally Responsible for Child Abuse Perpetrated by their Lovers?", USC
• "Doing Business Online: Can Your Company Be Sued In Other States Or Countries?", Online Business Journal, 2008

Address

5567 Reseda Boulevard
Suite 330
P.O. Box 7033
Tarzana, CA 91357-7033

Phones

(818) 705-6800
(323) 872-0995

Faxes

(818) 996-8266
(818) 345-0162

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.wcclaw.com
http://www.wccelaw.com