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Overview
Melissa Barahona is an experienced litigator focusing on complex commercial and employment litigation. With over a decade of experience, she represents clients in high-stakes disputes in federal and state courts, before administrative agencies and in alternative dispute resolution proceedings.
Melissa’s practice spans a broad range of industries, including real estate, private equity, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and supply chain logistics. She also has substantial experience in disputes arising out of the implementation and integration of enterprise software and supply chain solutions, including matters involving delays, contract performance and resulting business disruption.
In addition to her commercial practice, Melissa regularly advises employers and senior executives on all aspects of employment law. She handles matters involving executive compensation disputes, restrictive covenant disputes, discrimination and harassment claims, theft of company information, terminations, layoffs, wage and hour actions and other business‑related claims.
She also conducts internal investigations involving employee misconduct, whistleblower complaints and compliance-related issues, and represents clients in related enforcement and litigation matters.
Melissa’s practice spans a broad range of industries, including real estate, private equity, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and supply chain logistics. She also has substantial experience in disputes arising out of the implementation and integration of enterprise software and supply chain solutions, including matters involving delays, contract performance and resulting business disruption.
In addition to her commercial practice, Melissa regularly advises employers and senior executives on all aspects of employment law. She handles matters involving executive compensation disputes, restrictive covenant disputes, discrimination and harassment claims, theft of company information, terminations, layoffs, wage and hour actions and other business‑related claims.
She also conducts internal investigations involving employee misconduct, whistleblower complaints and compliance-related issues, and represents clients in related enforcement and litigation matters.
Select examples of Melissa’s prior and current firm experience include:
- Represented XPO Logistics and GXO Logistics in multiple state and federal court litigations stemming from disputes over warehouse management services contracts, transportation contracts, theft of trade secrets and restrictive covenant agreements.
- Represented multiple consumer brands in supply chain disputes, including with suppliers and co-manufacturers.
- Represented a network of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in employment-related litigations.
- Obtained a $3.8 million jury verdict for a real estate company in a suit against a former manager and a competitor firm involving a wrongful scheme to move a dozen agents to the competitor firm.
- Represented a private equity firm in defense against claims for carried interest and other compensation against a former employee, resulting in a dismissal of all claims after a bench trial.
- Obtained a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction for a large hospital in a lawsuit to enforce a non-competition agreement.
- Represented unsecured creditors in pursuing, on behalf of the litigation trustee, breach of fiduciary duty and loyalty claims against the former officers and directors relating to the alleged siphoning of hundreds of millions of dollars from a failed construction project by the debtor’s former controlling shareholder.
Education
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D., cum laude
- Cornell University, B.S.
Bar Admissions
- New York
- California
Recognition
- Named a “Litigation Star” in Labor & Employment by Benchmark Litigation (2025 and 2026)
- Named "Best Lawyer" in Labor & Employment Litigation by The Best Lawyers in America (2024-2026)
- Named to the “Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation” list in Employment & Commercial Litigation (2023-2025)
- Recognized in Benchmark Litigation’s “40 & Under” list (2023 and 2025)
- Named in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the “Up and Coming” list for New York Labor & Employment (2021-2024)
- Named "New York Metro Rising Star" in Employment Litigation: Defense by Thomson Reuters (2025)
- Named to the Lawyer of Color’s “Wonderful Women” list (2023)
- Selected as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow (2023)
- Recognized in the “Women Worth Watching in Leadership” list by Profiles in Diversity Journal (2022)