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, environmental property damage cases, commercial contractual disputes, as well as in substantive environmental areas such as CERCLA/state superfund, RECAP/RBCA (risk-based cleanups), emergency response issues, water issues, underground injection wells, environmental compliance and audits, the defense of state and federal enforcement acctions, and regulatory and legislative development. Melissa also has a great deal of experience in collection matters.

Representative Experience

• Representation of numerous chemical, petrochemical energy, and chemical transport companies in mass toxic tort and toxic tort and class action cases.
  
• 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, energy, industrial, and petrochemical companies in remediation efforts and negotiations with EPA, DEQ and DNR.
  
• Representation of major energy clients in contractual, indemnification claims against third-parties and suits for reimbursements against insurers.
  
• Representation of national credit card processing company in breach of contract dispute with customer.
• Representation of oilfield service company in disposition of assets.
  

Education

Melissa 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. She earned her B.S. from Spring Hill College in 1993. 

Admissions

• Admitted, Louisiana, 1996

Memberships

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

Articles, Publications and Presentations

Environmental Notes, August 2004

Community Service

• Chair-Elect, Board of Directors, Playmakers of Baton Rouge
  
• Past President, Member, Board of Directors, Spring Hill College National Alumni Association
• Past 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
• Instructor, Baton Rouge Bar Association Lawyers in the Classroom Program
• 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
• Teacher, Kindergarten Sunday school, St. Aloysius Catholic Church
  
• Co-Founder, Jay Cresson Memorial Foundation
• Recipient of Excellence in Community Service Award in 2005 by Safety Council of Greater Baton Rouge

Authorships

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