Melissa H. Nafash is a Partner at Milberg’s New York office, and is a Co-Leader of the firm’s Sexual Abuse Practice Group. Some of her most high-profile cases on behalf of clients include T.T. v. Roblox Corporation, an online grooming and exploitation case.
At Milberg’s Sexual Abuse Practice Group, Melissa brings the firm’s long history of high-stakes litigation to cases involving sexual abuse and exploitation nationwide. Working alongside a dedicated team of attorneys and advocacy partners, she helps survivors navigate the legal system with dignity while pursuing the justice, closure, and compensation they deserve.
Melissa brings extensive experience in complex, large-scale litigation to her sexual abuse practice. Prior to joining Milberg, she was a Partner at Labaton Keller Sucharow, where she developed the firm’s groundbreaking ADR Practice addressing mandatory arbitration clauses in consumer contracts. There, she helped secure over $200 million in recoveries for more than 400,000 clients in some of the largest consumer mass arbitration matters in recent history.
“I am honored to stand with survivors of sexual abuse—individuals whose courage in coming forward cannot be overstated. I hold profound respect for their voices and an unwavering commitment to ensuring they are heard. I am equally resolute in confronting companies that enable abuse by creating opportunities for it and then choosing silence over responsibility. Accountability is not merely about preventing future harm; it is about restoring dignity, securing justice, and giving survivors and their families the space and support they need to heal.
Melissa Nafash, Partner at Milberg
For more than a decade before changing her practice space to focus on mass arbitration and sexual abuse, she was a pharmaceutical and medical device mass torts litigator, helping those who were physically injured by defective pharmaceutical drugs or medical devices. She was appointed to the plaintiffs’ steering committee in In Re: Davol/C.R. Bard Hernia Mesh Multi-Case Management and assisted in leading the litigation for more than 30,000 plaintiffs. In addition, she managed several other litigations from onset through settlement.
Melissa earned her J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law and her B.A. in Political Science from University of Connecticut. At Milberg, she combines her experience in complex litigation with a dedicated focus on sexual abuse cases, helping survivors secure justice, accountability, and meaningful recovery.
Admitted to practice in New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, numerous U.S. District Courts nationwide, and the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Melissa leverages her broad legal expertise to ensure survivors’ rights are protected and every legal avenue is pursued.
Bar Admissions and Certifications
- Rhode Island, 2008
- Massachusetts, 2008
- New Jersey, 2009
- New York, 2010
- U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Associations and Licenses
- The National Law Journal’s Elite Trial Lawyers, Rising Star of the Plaintiffs Bar
- Lawdragon, Next Generation Lawyer
- Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch
- Women in Business Law, Arbitration Rising Star
- Euromoney Women in Business Law, Rising Star
- Super Lawyer
- Super Lawyer, Rising Star
- National Trial Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40
- New York Metro Area Outstanding Young Lawyer
- New York Metro Area Top Young Women Attorney
Education
- J.D., Roger Williams University School of Law, 2008
- B.A., University of Connecticut, 2004