Attorney
Melissa Roth is an Attorney at Dellino Family Law Group. With over a decade of experience, Melissa is focused on personalized attention, clear communication, empathy, and unwavering advocacy. Her goal is to provide her clients with the support they need during some of life’s most challenging and emotionally charged moments. Whether you are navigating divorce, child custody, spousal support, or other family-related legal matters, Melissa is committed to ensuring your needs are heard and understood, and that you understand your rights and the options available to you in creating the best solutions for you and your family.
My Approach
As a family law attorney, I am personally invested in every case I handle and am wholeheartedly dedicated to achieving the best possible results for my clients. Strong advocacy, diligence, and attention to detail are all required to make that happen, but of equal importance is acting with integrity, respect, and empathy to build a solid relationship of trust and mutual respect with clients and opposing counsel alike. To me, these are all non-negotiable standards, crucial to my ability to advocate most effectively for my clients.
I have spent the majority of my career in litigation, but my approach has always been to exhaust every effort to reach a non-trial resolution before leaving the parties’ fates in the hands of a jury or judge who has no personal stake in the outcome. While there are some cases that just have to be tried, the majority do not fall into that category, and I feel strongly that no case should be tried until everyone involved has genuinely strived to reach a meaningful compromise. Whether it is done through mediation or less formal negotiations, this is the stage when those who will be most affected by the outcome of the case have the most control in shaping it, and it is the best opportunity for tenacious advocacy, empathy, and the spirit of compromise to foster an arrangement that both sides can consider a win. Beyond this stage, things become much less predictable. However, I recognize there are times when people simply cannot come to an agreement, and that is okay. When that happens, we switch gears, move forward, and fight hard for the best possible outcome at trial.
Background
I was born in Canada and lived there for the majority of my childhood. When I was thirteen, my parents moved our family from Prince George, British Columbia, to Seattle, where I finished junior high, completed high school, and started college. In 1999, when my dad’s work took my family to Boca Raton, Florida, I went with them. My first job in college was at Starbucks, where I churned out many a latte as a barista back in the time before the espresso machines were all automated. After graduating from college, I spent several years figuring out the “what next,” and during that time worked as a sales assistant for a global hotel chain, taught English as a second language, managed a small private school’s foreign language department, and finally ended up working as a legal assistant in an immigration law firm. It was the latter experience that convinced me I should become a lawyer, and after ten years in South Florida, I moved to Atlanta for law school and started my legal career there. It is also where I met my future husband and stepdaughter.
About Me
All dogs are good dogs, but I happen to be the mom of the world’s greatest dog, Willow, who is loved beyond measure by her paw-rents. In my spare time, I enjoy trying to make my backyard look its best without hiring help, raising plants that are self-sufficient enough to survive my care, hunting for the best deals on anything and everything, and of course spending time with my family and friends, after which I always enjoy going home to Willow. We have two pianos and a herd of guitars in our house that I try to play from time to time, and I occasionally dabble in painting and drawing, but mediocrity is a high bar in the arts and I am decidedly well below it in my pursuits. I love music, and seeing musicians perform live is one of my favorite things to do, but I will take a small show in an intimate venue by a virtually unknown artist over a gigantic, crowded spectacle any day of the week.
Despite being away from the Pacific Northwest for many years, Seattle has always felt like home, and I could not be happier that my connection to the area ultimately led to my working with Dellino Family Law Group.
At A Glance
Practice Focus Areas
• Divorce and Legal Separation
• Post-decree modifications
• Domestic violence family law
Education
• J.D., Emory University School of Law
• B.A., Florida Atlantic University, Magna Cum Laude