Melissa Cresson is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 1996 and practices in the environmental litigation, toxic tort litigation, oil and gas litigation, environmental regulation, and commercial litigation areas. Melissa represents local, national and international energy and industrial clients in numerous mass toxic tort cases as well as in substantive environmental areas such as CERCLA/state superfund, solid waste, RCRA/HSWA issues, emergency response issues, water issues, underground injection wells, environmental compliance and audits, the defense of state and federal enforcement actions, and regulatory and legislative development. Melissa also has a great deal of experience in collection matters.

Representative Experience

• Representation of numerous chemical, petrochemical, and chemical transport companies in mass toxic tort.
• Representation of numerous major and independent oil and gas companies in suits by landowners alleging property damage arising out of historical and ongoing oil and gas exploration and production activities.
• Representation of major chemical and/or transport companies in transportation-related chemical spill remediation and associated toxic tort litigation.
• Representation of numerous major chemical and petrochemical companies in remediation efforts and negotiations with EPA and DEQ.
• Representation of national credit card processing company in breach of contract dispute.

Education

Melissa earned her B.S. from Spring Hill College in 1993. She earned her J.D. from the LSU Law Center in 1996 where she was a member of the Order of the Coif, a Member of the Louisiana Law Review, and was named to the LSU Law Center Hall of Fame.

Admissions

• Admitted to bar, 1996, Louisiana.

Memberships

• Baton Rouge, Louisiana State, Federal and American Bar Associations.

Past and Present Community Service

• President; Member, Board of Directors, Spring Hill College National Alumni Association.
• Member, Board of Trustees, Spring Hill College.
• Past Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Young Lawyers Section Council, Baton Rouge Bar Association.
• Past Chairman, Baton Rouge Bar Association Belly Up with the Bar Cook-Off
• Past Chairman, Baton Rouge Bar Association Young Lawyers Dress for Success Program.
• Past Instructor, Baton Rouge Bar Association Lawyers in the Classroom Program.
• Past Judge, Baton Rouge and Louisiana State Bar Association Mock Trial Competition.
• Top 40 Under 40 Awards, 2003, Baton Rouge Business Report.
• Outstanding Young Lawyer of Louisiana, 2004, Louisiana State Bar Association.
• Co-Founder, Jay Cresson Memorial Foundation.
• Recipient of Excellence in Community Service Award in 2005 by Safety Council of Greater Baton Rouge.

Articles, Publications and Presentations

Environmental Notes, August 2004

Authorships

• The Trespass Action in Louisiana: A Real Problem, 56 Louisiana Law Review 477.