Melody Rissell Leonard

Melody Rissell Leonard, Esq., is a California employment attorney who helps workers with workplace disputes, pre-litigation matters, and litigation. She represents clients in cases involving employment rights, discrimination, wage issues, retaliation, accommodations, and other workplace concerns. Her practice reflects a strong understanding of how jobs affect income, identity, and family stability. She uses careful preparation, direct communication, and practical judgment to help clients pursue fair solutions when employers violate workplace protections.

Rissell earned her B.A. in Political Science from San Diego State University, graduating cum laude. She earned her J.D. from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. During law school, she worked in the Ed Bernstein Immigration Clinic, where she represented an asylum client. She also helped raise public interest funding through leadership in the Public Interest Law Association programs.

Rissell gained early courtroom insight through federal court internships with Judges Andrew P. Gordon and Jennifer A. Dorsey in Nevada. She later clerked for Judge Susan H. Johnson in the Eighth Judicial District Court. Her career also includes work on personal injury, plaintiff-side employment, business litigation, employer defense, employee claims, and general civil litigation.

Melody Rissell Leonard helps people by listening to workplace concerns, identifying legal claims, and choosing the right path for each case. She understands when strong litigation is needed and when a collaborative approach may better serve the client’s goals. Her pro bono work with Legal Aid at Work and the AIDS Legal Referral Panel reflects her commitment to access, dignity, and meaningful legal support for workers facing workplace disputes.

Law Office Affiliations

• Principal Attorney, Rissell Law, APC
• Member, California Employment Lawyers Association
• Member, Consumer Attorneys of California
• Member, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
• Member, Orange County Women Lawyers Association
• Member, State Bar of California
• Member, State Bar of Nevada

Licensed State

• California
• Nevada

Education

• William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• San Diego State University
  BA in Political Science with Cum Laude

Awards & Badges