Melissa Lin

Melissa Lin is a partner at Righi Law Group and has earned the AV® Preeminent TM* Peer Review Rating. Her practice includes the representation of individuals, contractors, businesses, and municipalities in tort and contract litigation, primarily in the areas of general liability, construction defect litigation, complex litigation, personal injury, and product liability. She was honored as a 2012 through 2015 Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Star. She was named to Lawyers of Color's 2013 Inaugural Hot List for the Western Region, and was also named as one of the top valley attorneys by North Valley magazine in 2013. Melissa prides herself on the early evaluation of cases for creative and early case settlement and resolution. She has successfully defended, mediated, and settled numerous construction defect cases for general contractors and developers involving multiple homeowners and homeowners' associations. She successfully prevailed on a defense motion for summary judgment on a breach of implied warranty claim through appeal, motion for reconsideration, and motion for new trial where Plaintiff alleged damages over a million dollars. The ruling on motion for partial summary judgment limited Plaintiff's damages to approximately $50,000, and led the parties to ultimately settle. Melissa was second chair for the defense of a multi‐week seven day construction defect trial where Plaintiff was requesting just under a million dollars in damages, and the defense asserted a cost of repair of just under $200,000. The jury found for the defense on common law fraud, consumer fraud, and negligent misrepresentation claims, and only awarded Plaintiff damages on warranty claims in the amount of $230,000. As a result of defense work on fee‐shifting, Plaintiff agreed to walk away from the trial judgment with each party bearing their own fees and costs. She was a 2008‐2012 board member of the Women's Metropolitan Arts Council (WoMAC) of the Phoenix Art Museum. She previously served as the 2010‐2011 president, 2009‐2010 vice president of membership and the 2008‐2009 secretary for WoMAC. She was honored as the December 2011 Volunteer of the Month by the Phoenix Art Museum. Melissa is the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. She grew up in Tucson, Arizona where her parents have owned and operated a small business for over thirty‐six years. She enjoys rock climbing, yoga, sprint triathlons, walking her three dogs, and spending time with her husband. Awards and Honors Honors AV® Preeminent™* Peer Review Rated Rising Star, Southwest Super Lawyers Magazine, 2012 - 2015 Lawyers of Color Inaugural Western Region Hot List, 2013 - Present 2006 Pro Bono Service Award, Community Legal Services Mohave County Top Valley Attorney, North Valley Magazine, 2013 - Present

• Partner
• Languages
• Spanish
• Taiwanese

• "Rainmaking Essentials: A Candid Conversation with Industry Decision Makers and Successful Female Rainmakers"
• "Women Leaders in the Law: An Intergenerational Perspective on Long-Term Legal Careers and the Importance of Mentoring"
• “A Recent Extrapolation Ruling in Arizona Construction Defect Cases and Its Implications for the Defense of Extrapolation in Construction Defect Cases”
• 2012 Arizona Association of Defense Counsel CLE, “Ladder Down: Leadership, Business Development and Mentoring for Women”
• 2010 State Bar of Arizona Annual Convention, “Legal and Practical Considerations for Board Service and Recent Developments in Non‐Profit Governance”
• 2010 Arizona Association of Defense Counsel YLD CLE, “Networking and Marketing for the Young Lawyer, Litigation Basics for the Civil Defense Associate”

• Wills for Heroes, Volunteer, 2005 - 2011

• Arizona, 2005
• California, 2011
• U.S. District Court District of Arizona, 2011
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 2004

• State Bar of California, Member
• State Bar of Arizona; Member; YLD Board Member at Large, 2013 - 2014
• State Bar of Arizona, 2012 - 2013 (Treasurer)
• State Bar of Arizona, 2011 - 2012 (Secretary)
• State Bar of Arizona, 2008 - 2011 (District 4 Representative)
• Defense Research Institute, Women in the Law Committee Member, 2009 - 2015
• Defense Research Institute, 2013 - 2015 (Diversity Committee)
• Defense Research Institute (Diversity for Success Seminar Vice Chair and Expo Chair)
• Diversity for Success Seminar Vice Chair and Expo Chair (Construction Law Membership Chair)
• Maricopa County Bar Association (Construction Law Section Chair)
• Maricopa County Bar Association (Vice Chair)
• Maricopa County Bar Association, 2010 - 2013 (Board Member)
• Maricopa County Bar Association, 2012 - 2014 (Board Member)
• Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, 2007 - Present (Member)
• Arizona Association of Defense Counsel (Young Lawyers Division)
• Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, 2009 - 2011 (Vice President and Board Member)
• Arizona Women’s Law Association, 2007 - 2015 (Member)
• Arizona Asian American Bar Association, Board Member, 2011 - 2013
• Arizona Asian American Bar Association, 2011 - 2015 (Member)
• Women’s Metropolitan Arts Council, 2008 - 2012