Admissions
- Washington, DC
- Maryland
- Arkansas
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
Overview
Melvin White specializes in complex commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense matters. With more than three decades of experience, Melvin has achieved results for clients in disputes involving intellectual property, antitrust, civil RICO, ERISA, healthcare, securities enforcement, contract disputes, telecommunications, class action issues, and many others across various industries. He has represented clients in connection with government investigations. He has served as counsel to Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized companies, small businesses, and foreign governments.
Melvin is respected by peers, executives, and opposing counsel for his consultative approach to understanding business objectives, the ability to manage large teams of lawyers within budget, leveraging technology to manage sizable caseloads, and communicating highly technical concepts to diverse audiences.
Melvin is a member of the American Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar, where he served as President from 2007-2008. He served as a Barrister in the Edward Bennett Williams American Inn of Court, an organization for judges, attorneys, and prosecutors dedicated to higher learning in all areas of white-collar criminal law. Melvin has also handled a number of clients in pro-bono matters and has served as a director or chair of several philanthropic organizations, including the Callaloo Foundation, Inc., the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program, the D.C. Bar Foundation, the D.C. Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, and the Washington lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.
Representative Experience
- Counsel to American families (including Cuban-American families who immigrated to the United States after the 1959 Cuban Revolution) in Helms-Burton Act cases across multiple federal district courts seeking recoveries for their Cuban properties that were confiscated by the Castro regime after it seized power in Achieved favorable settlements.
- Counsel for a Fortune 200 medical device company in a multibillion-dollar intellectual property, contract, and business tort case
- Counsel to a Fortune 200 technology company in disputes regarding outsourcing, licensing, and contracts
- Counsel for several major hospital centers in a regulations challenge involving Medicare reimbursement
- Counsel for a national government in a cross-border criminal investigation
- Advised a global non-profit regarding data privacy and Americans with Disabilities Act exposure
Practice Focus
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Helms-Burton Act Litigation
- Securities Enforcement
- Arbitration
- Mediation
- White Collar Crime
Professional Affiliations
- Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, DC Fellows State Chair 2011-2012
- District of Columbia Bar Foundation, Director, 2010-2013
- District of Columbia Bar
- Board of Governors 2000-2009
- President 2007-2008
- Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
- Board of Directors 1991-2013
- Co-Chair 2006-2007
- District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission
Publications & Speaking
- Enhancing U.S.–Africa Commercial Diplomacy: Opportunities for American Investors, SMEs, and Corporations under Reciprocal Trade Models, 2025 ALP African Leaders & Partners Forum 2025, George Washington University
- Meet the President: Melvin White, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 21, No. 11 (Aug. 2007)
- Maximizing Service, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 21, No. 11 (Aug. 2007)
- Making Mentoring Work, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Sept. 2007)
- Fathering Court, an Opportunity for More Stable Homes for Children, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Oct 1, 2007)
- Why We Must Lead, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Nov. 2007)
- Access to Justice…for all?, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 4 (Dec. 2007)
- Take Action to Promote and Retain Women, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 5 (Jan. 2008)
- Inclusion: The Importance of a Fair and Impartial Judiciary, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 6 (Feb 1, 2008)
- “Nobody’s Business?”, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 7 (Mar. 2008)
- Transitions, Washington Lawyer Vol. 22, No. 9 (Jun. 2008)
- Inclusion: Just the Beginning Foundation — Minding the Pipeline, Washington Lawyer, Vol. 22, No. 9 (May 2008)
- My Generation’s Task – An Interview with Melvin White, Callaloo Vol. 31, No. 4
- Attracting and Retaining LGBT Lawyers of Colour (Chapter 3 from Attracting, Advancing and Retaining LGBT Lawyers by Lisa A. Linsky and Amy S. Beard), The Ark Group