Melanie grew up on the highline in Cut Bank, MT. She attended New Mexico State University, where she was the president of the Alpha Kappa Delta (ΑΚΔ), an international honor society. She graduated with a major in sociology and a minor in philosophy.

Melanie is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Law. While in law school, she served as vice president of the American Constitutional Society and was a board member of the OUTLaws. She participated in the Montana Legal Services Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, the China Summer Law Program, and the Client Counseling Team.  She also met her now-husband, Tom McMeans, who works as a paralegal at Shyne Law.

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After graduation, Melanie clerked for the Honorable Judge Laurie MacKinnon at the Montana Supreme Court and then for the Honorable Judge Reynolds at the First Judicial District Court. Melanie then joined the public defender's office in Hamilton, Montana, where she discovered her love for the courtroom. Since that time, Melanie has practiced courtroom litigation in various areas, including major crimes, divorce, dependency and neglect cases, juvenile defense, and guardianships. She was voted Bitterroot's Best Attorney in 2021.

Melanie was also the Prosecuting Attorney for Stevensville, Montana.

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Melanie sat on the board for the First Judicial Bar, the board for the Ravalli Head Start, volunteered with SAFE in the Bitterroot, and was the vice president of the Ravalli County Bar. Tom and Melanie also coached the Florence High School mock trial team. Melaine is currently on the board of Befrienders of Bozeman.

Melanie enjoys birding, spending time with her dogs Doodle Bug & Mr. Reynolds; and reading sci-fi and horror.

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• Montana Bar

• Gallatin County Bar

• United States Federal District Court of Montana 

• Awards

• 2021 Bitterroot’s Best Attorney

• 3-time Chamisa Cheesecake Champion