Melissa Stewart works as a civil rights attorney fighting to uphold the rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution. Her practice has primarily focused on the First, Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments, especially as they relate to LGBTQ+ rights, jail and prison conditions, and police misconduct. She has also litigated under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. In 2023, Melissa brought First Amendment challenges to state “drag ban” laws in Tennessee and Florida, successfully preventing the statutes from being enforced against her clients. She has argued appeals in these cases before the Sixth and Eleventh Circuits.
Melissa completed her undergraduate degree at Mount Holyoke College and received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law.
In her spare time, Melissa enjoys reading, boxing, traveling, and spending time with her partner and her cat.
