Melissa Lewis

Associate

After spending her first five years as an attorney defending against insurance claims, Melissa Lewis switched sides to join the Palm Beach Gardens law firm of Gordon & Doner.

Melissa plays an important role in the firm's personal injury litigation team, focusing her practice on helping clients to obtain the personal injury protection (PIP) benefits they deserve.

"Because of my past experience, I can look at cases from the perspective of an insurance defense attorney," Melissa says. "That helps in making sure our cases are well-prepared and planned out in order to overcome the ways insurance companies challenge claims."

For instance, insurance companies will look for issues in the pre-litigation process, she says. They may claim that a demand letter wasn't specific enough or that it contained only vague information about the expenses being claimed.

"If you can provide a specific, concrete number, it's going to be very difficult for them to challenge it," Lewis says. "You have to be prepared for everything because even minor issues can have a serious impact on the litigation."

Thoroughly preparing each case is a part of Melissa's competitive nature - something she developed while playing travel-team softball as a child and which can be seen today in the way she handles her cases in the courtroom. She thrives on arguing before judges and juries.

"I enjoy being in the courtroom, and I do well in the courtroom," Melissa says. "But I believe in doing it in a respectful manner. You always have to maintain good relations with opposing counsel and treat everyone with respect. Creating animosity doesn't get you anywhere."

Melissa also believes strongly in developing client relationships that are built on trust and communication. Although PIP litigation can involve complex issues, she tries to explain them to her clients in a way that makes it easy for them to understand.

"Everybody has no-fault insurance on their automobiles, but not everybody knows what they have to do to get those benefits and keep those benefits. I try to help them understand the process," Melissa says. "Medical providers also need help in making sure they get paid for the services they're rendering."

Melissa is a South Florida native who graduated with a history degree from the Frederick M. Suppers Honors Program at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where her senior thesis focused on the case of Marbury v. Madison. She went on to earn her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was a Moot Court Board member.

She has been admitted to practice law in Florida since 2005.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and watching sports, and she is an avid reader.

Admitted to bar: 2005 - Florida
2008 - District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Education: Palm Beach Atlantic University (B.A., History, 2001), University of Miami School of Law (J.D., 2004)

Member: Florida Bar