Melissa Dials, Juris Doctorate, Certification in Non-Profit Management

Guided by a deep commitment to client service, Melissa believes effective counsel starts with listening closely, understanding each client’s business, and appreciating the culture in which they operate. This thoughtful approach enables her to deliver practical guidance that helps mitigate legal risk while aligning with her clients’ values and goals.

As co-chair of Fisher Phillips’ Non-Profit and Tax-Exempt Organizations practice, Melissa advises educational institutions, cultural institutions, public charities, membership organizations, and other non-profit and tax-exempt employers on the full range of employment and board governance issues they face.

Melissa also counsels non-profit and for-profit employers on day-to-day labor and employment matters, including wage and hour compliance, employee leave, reasonable accommodations, workplace harassment, reductions-in-force, and proactive employee relations strategies. She conducts compliance audits, drafts employee handbooks, conducts management and supervisor training, and represents employers before federal and state administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

Before joining Fisher Phillips, Melissa served as Corporate Counsel and Compliance & Ethics Officer for a global publicly traded company, where she advised management on complex international employment and compliance matters. That in-house experience gives her firsthand insight into the practical challenges employers face and informs her business-minded approach to client service.