Melissa Harnett, Attorney

Ms. Harnett serves as Department Head for the Class Action Department.  She has many years of experience handling class actions and complex litigation, including matters in the areas of consumer fraud, antitrust, RICO and employment disputes.  She is also experienced in general civil litigation, appellate practice, insurance disputes, entertainment litigation, eminent domain/condemnation proceedings and equine law.  Ms. Harnett has been appointed as class counsel in numerous class actions, including in the matters of: Friedman v. 24 Hour Fitness, United States District Court for the Central District of California, case number 06-06282; Bacca v. BMW of North America, Inc., United States District Court for the Central District of California, case number 06-06753; Wilson v. Airborne Inc., United States District Court for the Central District of California, case number EDCV 07-770; Ramirez v. Seaboard Produce Distributors, Inc., Ventura County Superior Court case number CIV-232600; De Leon v. Maxine Swim Group, Los Angeles Superior Court case no. BC 334225.  Ms. Harnett has also served on the Executive Committee for a number of class actions, including multi-district litigation cases pending in federal courts throughout the United States.

Published works include: "Condemnation Alert: Kelo v. City of New London", July, 2005; : "Should Abused Women be Held Criminally Responsible for Child Abuse Perpetrated by their Lovers?" Legal Dissertation 1992; "Doing Business Online: Can Your Company Be Sued In Other States Or Countries?", Online Business Journal, 2008.  Speaking engagements have included presentations on class actions before the Ventura County Bar Association Litigation Chapter, and a national teleconference entitled "False Advertising Consumer Class Actions on the Rise."  Ms. Harnett has been interviewed by national news publications, including the National Law Journal, and television news channels to lend her expertise to news items concerning class action litigation.