Melissa Benson

Senior Staff Attorney at Southeastern Ohio Legal Services
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Contact Information
us****@****om
(386) 825-5501
Location
US
Languages
  • American Sign Language (ASL) (proficient, not fluent) -
Skills

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Bio

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Credentials

  • Federal Court Admission - Southern District of Ohio
    U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
    Jun, 2009
    - Nov, 2024
  • Federal Court Admission - Northern District of Ohio
    U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
    Aug, 2006
    - Nov, 2024
  • Ohio Bar Admission
    Supreme Court of Ohio
    Nov, 2005
    - Nov, 2024

Experience

  • Southeastern Ohio Legal Services
    • United States
    • Legal Services
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Senior Staff Attorney
      • Jun 2013 - Present

      In addition to regular staff attorney duties (see below), Senior Staff Attorney Project: Federal Litigation – litigate and co-counsel affirmative federal cases, develop trainings and materials on federal claims; resource for staff litigating federal cases.

    • Staff Attorney
      • Jan 2006 - Jun 2013

      Advise and represent low income clients in a variety of legal matters including consumer, foreclosure, housing, family, public benefits, Social Security, unemployment, and education through trial, appellate and administrative advocacy.Litigation Support Attorney March, 2012-present Provide substantive litigation support to attorneys throughout SEOLS and Legal Aid Society of Columbus. Review and edit appellate briefs and major trial briefs for style and content, moot appellate arguments.Foreclosure Support Attorney November, 2009-January, 2015 Co-director of FLAG foreclosure, pre-foreclosure, OAG foreclosure, and HUD foreclosure rescue scam projects.Plan foreclosure litigation strategy; provide foreclosure litigation support for all SEOLS offices serving thirty Ohio counties, state and national foreclosure defense advocacy; quarterly grant reporting and compliance management for all foreclosure-related grants. Mentor newer attorneys; consult and co-counsel on foreclosure and rescue scam cases program-wide. Author materials for community outreach and education, and teach CLEs on foreclosure related topics.

  • Friedman & Gilbert
    • Cleveland, Ohio
    • Law Clerk
      • May 2003 - Dec 2005

      Drafted briefs and dispositive motions in criminal defense and plaintiff-side civil rights cases (42 U.S.C. 1983) at both the trial and appellate level for state and federal court. Majority of civil work focused on police misconduct and excessive force. Majority of criminal work focused on felony trial, evidence, and sentencing issues. Drafted briefs and dispositive motions in criminal defense and plaintiff-side civil rights cases (42 U.S.C. 1983) at both the trial and appellate level for state and federal court. Majority of civil work focused on police misconduct and excessive force. Majority of criminal work focused on felony trial, evidence, and sentencing issues.

  • Cleveland Free Times
    • Newspaper Publishing
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Staff Writer
      • May 2002 - Sep 2002

      Wrote and researched general interest articles for weekly newspaper. Wrote and researched general interest articles for weekly newspaper.

  • Inside Business Magazine
    • Cleveland, Ohio
    • Associate Editor
      • Jun 2001 - May 2002

      Wrote and edited short and feature magazine articles related to Cleveland business news. Wrote and edited short and feature magazine articles related to Cleveland business news.

  • Indiana University Ernie Pyle School of Journalism
    • Bloomington, Indiana
    • Associate Instructor (AI)
      • Sep 1999 - May 2001

      Taught portions of Journalism 201 and ran lab instruction for the class. Taught portions of Journalism 201 and ran lab instruction for the class.

Education

  • Case Western Reserve University School of Law
    Juris Doctorate, Law
    2002 - 2005
  • Indiana University Bloomington
    Journalism
    1999 - 2001
  • Ohio University
    BSJ, Journalism
    1995 - 1999

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