Melissa Menkel McGuire, Member

No two clients are the same and employment laws are ever-changing. I really listen to my clients to understand their organization and their goals, in order to assist them in achieving the best practical outcome.

Melissa has represented employers with as few as one employee to those with tens of thousands of employees.

Contact

Melissa is a Member of the firm's Employment and Benefits groups. She primarily represents small, medium and large public, private and non-profit employers in all aspects of employment law. She provides advice and counsel on employee leave, disciplinary matters, wage and hour issues, wage payment and collective issues, reasonable accommodation, labor issues, medical leave, protection of proprietary information and employee good will, discrimination, harassment and retaliation under the civil rights laws. Melissa drafts employment documents including agreements, handbooks, policies, notices and authorizations.

While she has experience defending claims against employers before federal, state and local agencies and courts, her goal is litigation avoidance. She works with clients to develop and implement proactive personnel policies and conducts management and employee training on workplace best practices. Melissa also conducts workplace investigations, drafts reports and makes recommendations to employers.

Honors

Selected to Maryland Super Lawyers^® list for Employment & Labor - Management since 2014, Top 50 Women Lawyers in Maryland (2016-2017) and Top 100 Attorneys in Maryland (2017, 2024)

Named to The Daily Record's Employment Law Power List, 2023

Named to The Best Lawyers in America^® for Employment Law - Management since 2013

Named by Smart CEO Magazine to Legal Elite (2009)

News

Professional and Civic Involvement

Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland
       Board of Directors (2010-2011, 2013-2020, 2022-2024)
       Executive Committee (2022-2024)
       Personnel Committee (2006-2024)

Anne Arundel Society for Human Resources Management
Legislative Director (2023-present)

Executive Alliance
Member (2021-present)

   Maryland State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section,
       Chair (2018-2020)
       Labor Council Member (June 2010-June 2022; March 2023-June 2024)

Publications and Lectures

Panelist, "Wage & Hour: Proper Classification & Updates to Salary Threshold," Anne Arundel Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) meeting, October 18, 2024

Contact

mmcguire@gfrlaw.com
410-576-4201

vCard

Teams

Benefits/ERISA
Business
EMERGE
Employment
Health Care

Education

J.D., Maryland Law Review, University of Maryland School of Law, 1994
B.A., cum laude, Notre Dame of Maryland University, 1991

Court Admissions

United States Supreme Court
United States District Court for the District of Maryland
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Bar Admissions

Maryland, 1994
District of Columbia, 1997
West Virginia, 1995