Melanie S. Fahey

Attorney Melanie Fahey graduated from the University of Dayton summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in 1990, with a double major in international studies and political science. She then attended Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude in 1993. She returned to her home state of Ohio and was admitted to the practice of law in November of 1993.

Melanie began her legal career in the public sector, serving as an Assistant Attorney General in the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Ohio Attorney General's Office, representing both the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio EPA at the trial level and on appeal. She continued her career in litigation by joining the Columbus office of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue and enjoyed practicing in a variety of substantive areas, including products liability, taxation, and bankruptcy.

Melanie continued her career as a staff attorney and magistrate in the Richland County Common Pleas Court, where she worked on a wide variety of cases, covering topics such as breach of contract, negligence, property disputes, foreclosures, products liability, personal injury, workers' compensation, and employment discrimination. She has also continued to pursue her academic interests in international studies and political science by teaching as an adjunct professor at North Central State College and The Ohio State University.

In addition to practicing law, Melanie is extensively involved in her community through professional organizations and non-profit board work. She currently serves on the boards of the Ohio Association for Justice, the Richland County Law Library Resources Board, the Richland County Law Library Association (as President), the Early Head Start program at the Child Development Center, the Community Action for Capable Youth (as President-Elect), and the Friends of the Mansfield-Richland County Public Library (Vice-President).

When she is not working, Melanie enjoys keeping up with her hobbies of tap dance, photography, and creative writing, but her favorite activity is spending time with her two young-adult sons.