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Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell Professional AssociationPartner
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Ms. Melissa Ivy Softness

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80 Southwest 8th Street, Miami, FL 33130

Product Liability, Employment and Labor, Casualty Litigation and 2 more

About Ms. Melissa Ivy Softness

Melissa Softness focuses her practice in the areas of product, employment and casualty litigation. She represents clients in the manufacturing, distribution, retail, automotive, boating, marine and personal watercraft industries throughout Florida against negligence and product defect claims. Melissa also represents employers against claims of employment discrimination and retaliation such as religion, national origin, race, gender, age, and political patronage, asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Chapter 760, Florida Statutes; Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871; the American Disabilities Act (ADA); and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA.)

While working at the Office of the State Attorney for Miami-Dade County, Melissa gained extensive trial experience, trying 18 jury trials and more than 50 bench trials. In addition, she conducted several highly contested evidentiary and Daubert hearings and successfully defended a First Amendment Appeal.

Before joining RumbergerKirk, she worked in civil practice gaining further trial experience in both state and federal courts.

Drawing on her trial experience, Melissa teaches trial skills to law students by serving as a faculty member at the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques at Emory Law. This week-long, required course for students includes a series of workshops that culminates with a simulated jury trial. The program integrates second-year students’ knowledge of substantive evidence law with practical skills in a “learning-by-doing” format, all under the watchful eye of renowned trial lawyers, judges, and trial skills teachers who travel in from all over the country to teach Emory’s students.

Awards & Honors

•Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star, Personal Injury Products: Defense, 2023-2025
•Recipient, '40 Under 40 Award,' Miami-Dade Bar YLS, February 2023

Articles & Presentations

•Co-presenter, 'Mastering Discovery: The Nuts and Bolts,' Pincus Professional Education Webinar, March 7, 2024
•Presenter, 'Nuts & Bolts of Civil Litigation: Navigating a Personal Injury Case From Defense and Plaintiff Perspectives,' The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Webinar, October 2023
•Panelist, 'Navigating the Shift: Unpacking Florida's Tort Reform for Young Lawyers,' The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, June 2023
•Co-presenter, 'The Hook Brings the Jury Back: The Importance of Trial Themes and How to Use Them Before a Jury,' Celesq/Thompson Reuters Webinar, February 2023
•Author, 'New Non-Compete Rule May Not Pass But Employers Should Stay On Alert,' January 2023
•Author, 'The Importance of Trial Themes and How to Use Them Before a Jury,' Daily Business Review, October 28, 2022 edition
•Author, 'When are COVID-19 Policies a “Business Necessity”? The EEOC’s New Guidance on Navigating the Post-Pandemic Workplace,' September 2022
•Co-Author, 'Social Unrest, COVID-19 and School-Required Masks: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?' published in Business Alabama, September 2020
•Co-Author, 'Social Unrest, the COVID-19 Pandemic and School-Required Masks: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?' August 2020

Melissa's News and Insights

06.26.2025
Firm News

Five RumbergerKirk Attorneys Selected for the 2025 Florida Super Lawyers List

Orlando, FL- June 26, 2025 - Five RumbergerKirk attorneys have...

06.24.2024
Firm News

Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes RumbergerKirk Attorneys

Orlando, FL- June 24, 2024 - RumbergerKirk is pleased to...

03.07.2024
Events

Mastering Discovery: The Nuts and Bolts

RumbergerKirk partners Gigi Cordova and Melissa Softness participated in a...

10.25.2023
Events

Nuts & Bolts of Civil Litigation: Navigating a Personal Injury Case From Defense and Plaintiff Perspectives

RumbergerKirk partner Melissa Softness provided the defense perspective in a...

06.26.2023
Firm News

Seven RumbergerKirk Attorneys Listed in 2023 Florida Super Lawyers

Orlando, FL- June 26, 2023 - RumbergerKirk is pleased to...

05.09.2023
Media Mentions

How I Made Partner: ‘Don’t Sell Yourself to the Higher Bidder’ Advises Melissa Softness

Melissa Softness shares advice for becoming partner in the Law.com...

02.24.2023
Firm News

Two RumbergerKirk Attorneys Selected for Miami-Dade Bar YLS 40 Under 40 Awards

RumbergerKirk Partner Melissa Softness was among 40 honorees for the...

02.01.2023
Firm News

RumbergerKirk Promotes New Partners

MIAMI, Fla., February 1, 2023 - RumbergerKirk announces two attorneys...

02.21.2023
Events

The Hook Brings the Jury Back: The Importance of Trial Themes and How to Use Them Before a Jury

Trial themes can make all the difference in what the...

01.17.2023
Employment and Labor

New Non-Compete Rule May Not Pass But Employers Should Stay On Alert

For the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed rule to ban...

Photo:Shutterstock/Piotr Swat

 

Ms. Melissa Ivy Softness (Miami, Florida) View website

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Services

Areas of Law

  • Other 5
    • Product Liability
    • Employment and Labor
    • Casualty Litigation
    • Boating and Marine
    • Motor Vehicles

Experience

  • Bar Admission & Memberships
    Admissions
    2012, Florida
    2013, Georgia
    U.S. District Courts of Florida (Southern)
    Third District Court of Appeal
  • Education & Certifications
    Law School
    Emory University School of Law
    Class of 2012
    J.D.
    Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Scholar; Order of the Barristers; Dean’s Award for Excellence in Criminal Litigation; Dean’s List (Fall 2010); Emory Mock Trial Society; Emory Moot Court Society; Vanderbilt University National First Amendment Moot Court Competition 2011 (Best Brief and Quarterfinalist); American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition 2011 (Regional finalist); Merit Scholar
    Other Education
    University of Florida
    Class of 2009
    B.A.
    Political Science, cum laude; Policy Debate Team (Recipient – speaker awards at Vanderbilt and UF competitions)

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  • How many attorneys are in this law firm?
    Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell Professional Association has 87 attorneys at this location.
  • What law school did this attorney attend?
    Ms. Melissa Ivy Softness attended Emory University School of Law.
  • What year was this attorney's law firm established?
    Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell Professional Association was established in 1978.

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