Melvin White

Melvin specializes in complex commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense matters. For nearly three decades, Melvin has achieved results consistent with clients' objectives in disputes involving, among other matters, intellectual property, antitrust, civil RICO, ERISA, healthcare, securities enforcement, telecommunications, contract, and class action issues. Melvin has also conducted internal corporate investigations and represented clients in connection with government investigations. He has served as counsel to Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized companies, small businesses, a sovereign nation, and individuals including a former Cabinet Member. He has experience across a number of industries including information technology, biotechnology, life sciences, medical devices, financial services, education, and consumer electronics.

Melvin is a member of the American Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar, where he served as President during 2007-2008. He is a Barrister in the Edward Bennett Williams American Inn of Court, an organization of judges, attorneys, and prosecutors dedicated to higher learning in all areas of white-collar criminal law. Melvin has handled a number of matters for indigent and low-income clients, pro bono, and he has served as a director of several philanthropic organizations, including the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program, the D.C. Bar Foundation, the D.C. Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, and the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.

Melvin was a partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP, where he practiced for eighteen years. Before joining Berliner Corcoran & Rowe LLP, Melvin was Lead Counsel, Litigation & Risk Management, at Clearspire Law Company, PLLC.

Melvin served in the United States Air Force and received an honorable discharge in 1982. Immediately following law school, Melvin was a judicial clerk to the Honorable G. Thomas Eisele, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

Representative Experience:

• Counsel for a Fortune 200 medical device company in a multibillion intellectual property, contract, and business tort case.

• Obtained a significant pre-trial ruling defeating the opponent's motion for electronic discovery sanctions. After a three-month jury trial, the majority of the claims against the company were rejected.

• Lead counsel for a biotechnology company in a bet-the-company trade secrets case. The claims against the company were completely defeated.

• Counsel for a Fortune 200 information technology company in a purported nationwide class action alleging fraud in connection with software sold to the U.S. insurance industry.Lead counsel for a Fortune 200 information technology company in a $1 billion breach of contract case involving a ten-year information technology outsourcing agreement.

• Lead counsel for the debtor-in-possession in a large multi-party adversary proceeding in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The claims against the debtor-in-possession were defeated.Lead counsel for two financial services companiesin an SEC enforcement case. A settlement was achieved that allowed the companies the opportunity to resume normal operations with management intact.

• Lead counsel for three major hospital centers in a challenge to regulations regarding geographic reclassification for purposes of Medicare reimbursement. The hospitals won a complete victory on summary judgment.

• Counsel for a Member of President Ronald Reagan's Cabinet in an Independent Counsel investigation and a Congressional investigation.

• Counsel for a Fortune 100 telecommunications provider in a nationwide consumer class action alleging racketeering and fraud. Managed motions, class action discovery and class action settlement with thousands of consumers.

• Lead counsel for a Fortune 100 telecommunications provider in appeal of a trial court ruling under the U.S. Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, 28 U.S.C.§1605(a)(2).

• Lead damages counsel for a plasma television manufacturer in a multi-district patent infringement action against arch-rival.

• Lead counsel for a sovereign nation in a cross-border criminal investigation.

• Lead counsel for one of the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organizations in corporate governance disputes and related litigation in multiple jurisdictions.

• Advise global non-profit regarding data privacy and Americans with Disabilities Act exposure.

• Counsel for a Fortune 100 insurance company in coverage litigation alleging bad faith and punitive damages.

Melvin White PDF Biography