Melanie Burke litigates high-stakes complex commercial cases in federal and state courts, representing individuals, financial services firms, and a broad range of public and private companies as both plaintiffs and defendants.

Drawing on over a decade of experience, Melanie advises clients on matters involving:

  • Breach of contract
  • Investor disputes
  • Fraud
  • Federal and state securities violations
  • Complex contract and business tort disputes

A trusted strategic advisor, Melanie guides companies and boards through all phases of litigation, from inception through resolution, including discovery, dispositive motion practice, and trial. Melanie brings a commercially practical approach to clients’ most significant disputes, helping them manage litigation risk and align legal strategy with broader corporate objectives.

Before joining Latham, Melanie served as a law clerk to the Honorable Kevin Thomas Duffy of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and worked at other global law firms.

Melanie’s experience includes representing:

  • A consumer packaged goods company in a multi-week jury trial in a dispute with minority shareholders*
  • A sports gambling company and its affiliated entities and directors in litigation with shareholders relating to the 2018 acquisition of the company*
  • An individual in dispute with a private equity-backed purchase of a registered investment adviser in consolidated actions in Delaware Superior Court and Court of Chancery*
  • A water bottle company in breach of contract and trade secret litigation*
  • A cryptocurrency company and its affiliated entities in putative class action lawsuits related to the sufficiency of stablecoin reserves and the alleged manipulation of the price of cryptocommodities*
  • A hedge fund and a private equity firm in a breach of contract dispute related to the sale of a renewable energy company resulting in a US$231million judgment*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • New York

Education

  • JD, Fordham University School of Law, 2013
    cum laude, Fordham Law Review
  • BA, Vanderbilt University, 2007
    magna cum laude