White and Bright, LLP Partner Melissa Engle represents real estate professionals, small business owners, individuals and families in litigation and transactional matters. She handles real estate, business and employment disputes but emphasizes preventive legal counseling designed to help clients avoid costly conflicts.
Melissa represents businesses and brokerages in litigation stemming from:
- Non-disclosure actions
- Real estate transaction disputes
- Lease disputes
- Wrongful termination and discrimination claims
- Wage and hour claims
- Various business and contractual disputes
- Partnership and shareholder disputes
- Breaches of contract
- Indemnification issues
On the transactional side of her practice, she assists with commercial leases, independent contractor contracts, employment contracts, severance agreements, buyout agreements, sales agreements, vendor and customer contracts, licenses, intellectual property protection and licensing and asset purchases. When general counsel representation is needed, Melissa works as part of the team to help protect clients’ interests and support their goals.
Creative and Cost-Effective Solutions
Melissa’s clients appreciate her ability to explain complex legal issues in straightforward terms and tailor her advice to their needs and resources. She strives to “meet clients where they are” — whether that means finding cost-effective solutions for small business owners or structuring policies and contracts that prevent problems before they start. She is passionate about educating her clients on how to avoid lawsuits, attorneys’ fees, costs, stress, wasted time and the uncertainty that comes with litigation.
With a background in the arts, Melissa brings creativity to her legal work — attributes that serve her well in the courtroom and in finding solutions to business and real estate transactional issues. Before joining White and Bright, she practiced at two boutique San Diego firms, focusing on business, employment and intellectual property litigation.
She lives in San Diego with her husband, a fellow employment law attorney, and their dogs, Ted and Luna. She likes baking, hiking and traveling.
Representative Matters
- Successfully represented a homeowner in a specific performance trial who was sued by a would-be buyer.
- Motion for summary judgment victory in a lawsuit involving a real property owner who was defrauded.
- Judgment for $13.8 million representing a small film production company in a lawsuit for fraud and breach of contract against its former investors.
- Judgment for $2.7 million against a former business partner in a cross-complaint alleging fraud, amongst other claims.
- Defense judgment for a Texas-based technology company in a lawsuit brought by a former vendor, alleging breach of contract, fraud and failure to supervise employees.
- Defense judgment for an employee by a previous customer alleging breach of contract, unfair competition and intentional interference with contract.
Education
- California Western School of Law, J.D., 2009
- University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., History, 2007
Admitted to Practice
- California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Involvement
- San Diego North County Bar Association, past board member (2021-2024) and past co-chair of the Civil Litigation Section (2020-2024)
- California Lawyers Association
Recognition
Presentations
- “Top Three Issues That Get You Sued,” Pacific West Association of REALTORS®, June 2025
- “Buyer Representation Agreements,” private presentations for real estate brokerages, July and October 2024
- “Forming and Operating Real Estate Brokerages,” North San Diego County Association of REALTORS®, May 2024
- “Top Three Issues That Get You Sued,” private presentation for real estate brokerage, October 2022 and February 2023
- “Red Flags and the Non-Disclosure of Material Facts,” private presentations for real estate brokerages, February 2023 and March 2025
