Melissa Dorman Matthews
Member
Litigation
J.D. Texas Tech University
B.S. Texas Christian University
Office:
Dallas, TX
(214) 251-8509
Biography
Melissa Dorman Matthews focuses her practice on professional liability, product liability, employment, personal injury, commercial litigation, and premises liability. Melissa has over 27 years of experience, and has tried cases all over Texas and beyond. She has extensive first-chair trial experience representing a broad spectrum of industries, including drug and medical device, automotive, and heavy equipment manufacturers. She also counsels clients in product defect cases, class actions, attorney-client disputes, business and employment disputes, and personal injury matters. Melissa earned her law degree from Texas Tech University and her bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University.
Memberships & Awards
Professional
Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-HubbellRanked, The Best Lawyers in America®Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers for 2012Texas Top-Rated Lawyers by ALM, 2012Recognized among Super Lawyers® Texas Rising Stars by Thompson Reuters (2007)Past Vice-Chair of the State Bar of Texas standing committee on Council of ChairsTexas Bar Foundation Sustaining Life FellowPast Chair, State Bar of Texas, Women and the Law Section; Council Member since 2005Member, Dallas Bar AssociationMember, Dallas Women LawyersPast President, El Paso Women's Bar AssociationPast Chair, State Bar of Texas Council of Chairs (2015-2016)Member, Defense Research InstituteMember, DRI Women in the Law Fairness and Equity in Compensation Task ForceMember, Trial Attorneys of America, 2012-presentMember, International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)Vice-Chair of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion for the IADC Product Liability Committee 2020-2022 Professional Liability Roundtable Chair, IADCBoard of Directors, Recovery Resource Council2022-2025 Audit Committee Member, IADC
Work Experience
2022 Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
2001-2022 Hartline Barger LLP, founding chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee
2001-2022 Hartline Barger LLP, founding chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Speaking Engagements
“Corporate Counsel Futurecast: How Trends Today Will Shape Tomorrow’s Legal Practice,” 51st Trial Attorneys of America Annual Meeting, June 9, 2022“The Next Normal: Emerging Trends in a Post-COVID World,” IADC Professional Liability Roundtable, May 12, 2022“What’s Trending? Stay Ahead of the Curve with the Latest Trends, Tips, and Significant Cases in Professional Liability,” IADC Southwest Regional Meeting, April 2022DRI Women in the Law Conference, “Owning Your Worth: How to Think about Salary, Negotiating Your Next Raise, and Why it Matters,” January 28, 2022