Melissa has over 20 years of experience in tax controversy and litigation on a wide range of civil tax matters at the federal and state level. She represents clients at all levels of administrative controversy with the IRS, including audits and cases before the IRS Office of Appeals, and has significant experience handling penalty and international information reporting matters. Her experience includes litigation in the U.S. Tax Court, Court of Federal Claims, and various federal district courts, and representing clients facing government and third-party subpoenas and investigations. She also counsels on voluntary disclosures of prior tax noncompliance. 

A respected authority on tax controversy topics, Melissa frequently presents on IRS filing requirements, penalties, and enforcement, as well as on ethics and the Corporate Transparency Act. She is active in numerous professional organizations such as the AICPA, where she chairs the IRS Advocacy and Relations Committee, and the ABA Tax Section, where she currently serves as Vice Chair for Membership, Diversity and Inclusion. She is also the Regent for the Federal Circuit for the American College of Tax Counsel.