Melissa Perry, Attorney

I never thought growing up as a child of divorced parents that my childhood would have anything to do with my career as an adult. Then, just before I entered law school, I had coffee with a friend, and he asked me what kind of law I would practice. I remember telling him that I wanted to work with families because I had experienced life with my parents' divorce, a single mother, and also experienced my mother's remarriage and the new relationships with a step-father and step-brothers and sisters. My friend nodded and said, "You have to use what you know, where you came from, to help people."

After three intense years of law school, my conversation with my friend had faded to the back of my mind, and I took a great opportunity to work as a corporate in-house attorney at Windstream Communications, Inc., a nationwide telecommunications company headquartered in Arkansas. At Windstream, I gained valuable knowledge about business structures, contract drafting, and deal negotiation, but after one year of corporate practice, it became obvious to me that it wasn't where I was meant to be. After leaving Windstream, I began the journey back to where I had started, back to my heart's desire to work with families.

First, I became certified as an Attorney Ad Litem in both Domestic Relations cases and in Dependency-Neglect cases involving DHS. Though Attorneys Ad Litem are trained to be advocates for children in the legal system, I found myself wanting to help the parents just as much. During my training, I observed a hearing in which a mother's rights to her child were terminated, and it was one of the saddest things I have witnessed as an attorney. I found myself wanting to sit down with that mother, and explain to her the legal process. As I watched her answering questions on the stand, she seemed overwhelmed by what was happening and intimidated by the questions she was being asked. This experience built a desire in me to advocate for parents' rights, to make sure that my clients understand the legal process, and if a hearing is necessary, to make sure my clients are confident and prepared.

With Additional Appointments By Request