Attorney Melissa Engle Promoted to Partner at White and Bright

White and Bright, LLP is pleased to announce the promotion of Melissa Engle to the status of newest partner at the firm. For the previous five years, Ms. Engle has been an associate attorney at White and Bright, focusing on real property litigation and transactions, business litigation and transactions, and employment litigation and services.

“We are proud of Melissa, who is not only extraordinarily talented, but has worked long and hard to earn this significant achievement. She truly represents the next generation that will sustain and build on White and Bright's 40 year legacy in San Diego County,” said Managing Partner Fred Pfister.

Engle has been named a San Diego Rising Star by Super Lawyers for five consecutive years, demonstrating Engle's expertise and outstanding work ethic. In addition to this repeated (but quite rare) honor, Engle is rated AV® Preeminent™ through Martindale-Hubbell. This is the highest of Martindale-Hubbell's three levels of rating, and it serves as a sign of excellence in the legal field. Attorneys are evaluated by the judiciary and members of the bar from across the country.

Engle has assisted numerous businesses and brokerages in various suits, ranging from non-disclosure actions, real estate transaction disputes, wrongful termination and discrimination claims, partnership and shareholder disputes, breaches of contract, indemnification issues, and other commercial and residential real estate matters. Engle also represents various small businesses in transactional matters such as vendor disputes, commercial leases, independent contractor contracts, employment contracts, vendor and customer contracts, licenses, intellectual property protection and licensing, and general counsel representation as needed.

Prior to working at White and Bright, Engle worked with two other boutique litigation firms in San Diego, where her practice focused on civil litigation with an emphasis on employment, intellectual property, and business matters. She started her legal career focused on personal injury lawsuits as well as both personal and business reorganizations through Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies. She also litigated various adversary proceedings on behalf of creditors.

Engle earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Los Angeles and her J.D. from California Western School of Law, where she was the co-founder of the CWSL Intellectual Property, Technology & Telecommunications clinic and where she received the Andrea Johnson Telecommunications Award.

Engle is admitted to practice law in the state of California and in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Central, and Northern Districts of California. She is a barrister at the Fiorenzo V. Lopardo American Inn of Court; she also serves as a Board member and Co-Chair of the Civil Litigation Section of the San Diego North County Bar Association. She has been published and engaged in multiple public speaking events, including Avoiding Practice Management Pitfalls for Solos and Small Firms, How to Protect Your Brand Using Trademarks, and Corporate Transactional Ethical Responsibilities.

Engle currently lives in San Diego with her husband - a fellow employment law attorney - and their dog, Ted. In addition to practicing law, Engle serves as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law, where she teaches multiple courses, including Legal Research and Civil Litigation.