Melissa Finocchio
Managing Director
Melissa is a Managing Director based in Solutus’s Seattle, Washington location. She is recognized for her strategic and critical thinking to achieve client goals, and developing both creative and practical solutions to today’s hiring challenges. She has a proven track record of building new organizations and cohesive teams of top-tier attorneys. Melissa is also known for her excellent judgment of legal talent for both in-house and outside counsel roles.
Melissa practiced law for thirty years, most recently as VP and Chief Litigation Officer for Intellectual Ventures. During her tenure, Melissa recruited and retained a world-class team of seasoned attorneys and legal professionals. She oversaw dozens of litigations in the U.S. and Europe, and hired and managed teams of outside attorneys from the finest law firms in the U.S. and abroad. Prior to Intellectual Ventures, Melissa was Senior Assistant General Counsel at Micron Technology Inc.
Melissa’s law firm experience is equally significant. She was an IP Litigation partner with Orrick where she held significant management positions including Hiring Partner for the Silicon Valley Office and Partner in Charge of Orrick’s firm-wide Associate Mentoring Program. Melissa started her career as a litigation associate with Jackson, Tufts, Cole & Black and later, Cooley in Palo Alto.
Melissa received her B.A. and J.D. from Santa Clara University. In law school, Melissa was an Articles Editor for the Santa Clara High Technology Law Journal and an Emery Scholarship recipient in recognition for her academic achievement and professional promise.
Melissa lives near Seattle, Washington. Melissa loves to travel, cook, and entertain. She spends her summers hiking and her winters skiing, and is a season ticket holder for the Seattle Sounders FC.
- The Sedona Conference Patent Litigation Working Groups – Steering Committee, Editorial Advisor, Dialog Leader
- Leahy Institute of Advance Patent Studies – Speaker and discussion leader at annual conference
- Federal Circuit Bench & Bar – panelist at annual meetings on various IP litigation issues
- Intellectual Property Owners – panelist at annual meetings on various IP litigation issues
- Practicing Law Institute – Faculty member for annual seminar on USPTO and district court patent litigation
- American Intellectual Property Law Association – panelist at annual meetings on various IP litigation issues
- Women in Law and IP Summit – Panelist and discussions leader: Lessons Learned from Being a Female Litigator