Family Mediation
Melissa spent eight years working as a Child Advocate Attorney in northern Nevada. In that role, she represented children in child protection, minor guardianship, and custody cases. Melissa has mediated hundreds of family law cases over the years, including custody and divorce mediation, child protection mediation, minor guardianship mediation, and grandparents' rights cases. Melissa also mediates family law cases at the appellate level for the Nevada Supreme Court. All of these experiences have given Melissa a unique perspective on family law cases that enables her to help parties focus on the best interests of the children.
Elder Care Mediation
As an attorney, Melissa served as the Directing Attorney of the Senior Law Project in Reno, Nevada. In that capacity, Melissa represented seniors in landlord-tenant and nursing home disputes, estate planning, probate, administrative appeals, and other civil matters. Melissa often took a mediation-based approach to this position, regularly bringing the parties together to collaborate outside of the traditional courtroom setting. Melissa firmly believes that mediation is the preferred option where senior care decisions are involved, as it allows family members to come together to develop a plan that meets the needs of the seniors while preserving ongoing family relationships.
Landlord Tenant Mediation
Melissa handled hundreds of landlord and tenant disputes while working as a legal services attorney for Nevada Legal Services. Melissa has also served as a Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore for over ten years, where she hears and decides landlord-tenant cases for the Incline Village Justice Court. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Melissa mediated landlord-tenant disputes for the Nevada Eviction Mediation Panel. She has also mediated landlord tenant disputes for the Nevada Supreme Court's Settlement Judge Program. Because housing disputes often involve parties to an ongoing relationship, this area is particularly well suited for mediation.
Other Areas of Practice
Although the areas mentioned above are the areas that we most often mediate at Sierra Mediation, Melissa also mediates a variety of topics for the Nevada Supreme Court's Settlement Judge program. At Sierra Mediation, we are open to mediating other types of disputes as well. If you are interested in mediating a conflict not listed above, please contact us to discuss whether our services may be of assistance to you.