I relish the cases that level the playing field for those who seek to use the law as a force for good. This firm works together in small teams on the cases that will protect the future of our clients and our communities. With this approach, I work to make the connections that others don’t see and arrive at a solution that serves the truth.
Melissa Goodman is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on complex commercial and intellectual property litigation. She represents multinational corporations, small businesses, and individuals. Ms. Goodman’s experience spans all phases of litigation, including initial investigation, fact and expert discovery, claim construction, dispositive motion practice, trial, and appeal. Ms. Goodman brings an acute awareness of the financial demands litigation places on her clients and their businesses, and brings significant experience managing small to multi-million dollar litigation budgets with predictability.
Ms. Goodman serves on the National Governing Board of Directors for Jeremiah Program, which is dedicated to transforming families from poverty to prosperity, two generations at a time. She is a past chair of the Governance Committee and served on the Executive Committee.
Bar Admissions
Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness v. Minnesota DNR: Counsel for Minnesota environmental rights act case against Minnesota Department of Natural Resources alleging that DNR’s existing rules and regulations will fail to protect the water, land, and air from material harm caused by copper mining on the edge of the Boundary Water Canoe Area. (2020)
Negotiated confidential settlement on behalf terminated employee with whistleblower claims. (2019)
Negotiated dismissal with prejudice of breach of contract claims on behalf of client who’s signature was forged onto financing documents. (2019)
Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Kashiv Pharma: Represented Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Kashiv Pharma in a Hatch-Waxman patent dispute brought by Purdue Pharma over a generic drug, which successfully concluded.
Kraft Foods Group, Inc./Mondelēz International, Inc. v. Starbucks Coffee Company: Counsel represented Kraft in a three-year arbitration regarding a breach of contract after Starbucks unilaterally terminated its agreement, cutting off Kraft’s exclusive rights to sell, market and distribute Starbucks roast and ground coffee in grocery and other retail outlets. The arbitration resulted in a $2.7 billion cash award to Kraft.
Represented pro bono client against allegations of breach of contract claiming damages over $800,000. The case ended with a settlement with terms favorable to the client.
Whitely v. Pfizer Inc: Represented plaintiff in first Chantix bellwether trial. The case confidentially settled 3 days prior to jury selection, which led to the settlement of virtually every case pending in the MDL.
Great Clips v. Hair Cuttery of Greater Boston and Great Cuts: Represented Great Clips, Inc., the largest single-brand hair salon in North America, in a 2010 trademark infringement case brought by Great Cuts, Inc. and established through trial court and court of appeals rulings Great Clips’ right to use its longstanding trademarked name in its national expansion.
Estée Lauder Companies and Aveda v. Massage Envy: Represented Estee Lauder and Aveda in a breach of contract dispute, including obtaining temporary injunctive relief. The case resolved in a confidential settlement.
Pitney Bowes Inc. v. Data-Pac Mailing Systems Corp.: Represented Pitney Bowes in a patent infringement suit involving five patents related to mailing machines and data encryption technology. The case resolved in a confidential settlement.
Kroll Ontrack v. Renew Data: Represented Kroll Ontrack in a case brought under the Minnesota Trade Secrets Act against a competitor and former employees. The case resolved in a confidential settlement.
Represented a guardian ad litem and petitioner in a complex, contested termination of parental rights trial involving multiple parties. Served as co-lead trial counsel and argued the case on appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, helping secure a safe and loving home-life for an at-risk child.
*Past results are reported to provide the reader with an indication of the type of litigation we practice. They do not and should not be construed to create an expectation of result in any other case, as all cases are dependent upon their own unique fact situation and applicable law.
Case results before 2015 were obtained while Melissa was at her former firm.
Named to Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers (2023, 2024)
Named to Minnesota Super Lawyers (2020-2022)
Named to Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Litigators in America (2022-2024)
Named to “Notable Women in the Law,” Twin Cities Business (2022)
Named “Attorney of the Year” by Minnesota Lawyer (2013)
Named to Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers (2019-2023)
Named to list of “Top Attorneys in Minnesota” as published in Mpls. St. Paul Magazine (2020)
*Being named to the list or receiving the award is not intended and should not be viewed as comparative to other lawyers or to create an expectation about results that might be achieved in a future matter.
Jeremiah Program, National Governing Board of Directors (2017 – Present); Secretary (2018-2019); Chair of Governance Committee (2019-2021); and Executive Committee Member (2018-2021)
Allegro Choral Academy, Board of Directors, Past President and Past Vice President, (2013-2019)
Food, the FTC and the Risks of Social Media Promotions
Food Manufacturing (June 2, 2014) (co-authored)
Will the Supreme Court Kill the Software Patent?
Minnesota Lawyer (March 17, 2014) (co-authored)
Technology: 5 Things Emerging Tech Companies Should Know About Litigation
InsideCounsel (October 11, 2013) (co-authored)
Technology: 5 Things Tech Companies Should Know About the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
InsideCounsel (September 27, 2013) (co-authored)
Technology: 5 Things to Know Now About the FTC and Data Security
InsideCounsel (September 13, 2013) (co-authored)
Technology: Will the Digital Millennium Copyright Act Takedown 3D Printing?
InsideCounsel (August 30, 2013) (co-authored)
Technology: Balancing Data Analytics, Data Privacy and Ediscovery
InsideCounsel (August 16, 2013) (co-authored)
Technology: Facebook, Food and the FDA
InsideCounsel (August 2, 2013) (co-authored)
A Trial Lawyer’s Guide to the New FTC Green Labeling Guidelines
Food Safety Magazine (2013) (co-authored)
A yardstick, threshold or escape hatch?
Minnesota Lawyer (March 11, 2013) (co-authored)
Apple Win: Strong Story and Strong IP Portfolio
Minnesota Lawyer (August 31, 2012) (co-authored)
