Melissa Colón-Bosolet

Melissa’s representative engagements include:

Commercial Disputes and Class Actions

• Represented an intellectual property holding company, in a multi-billion dollar fraud and breach of contract action arising from an acquisition of one of the largest privately held pharmaceutical companies.
• Represented a leading international insurance organization in two multi-million dollar confidential breach of contract arbitrations.
• Represented a technology firm in confidential arbitration asserting claims for breach of contract and tort arising from the termination of a global strategic partnership.
• Represented a mortgage servicer and trustee in a putative class action alleging FDCPA, NY GBL § 349, RESPA and related claims brought by former participants in the FHA mortgage program.
• Represented an alternative asset management firm and its co-founder in federal litigation against claims of conspiracy, tort and breach of contract. 
• Represented a major payment card issuer in connection with federal antitrust claims surrounding the roll-out of chip technology to prevent fraudulent card transactions. 
• Represented a major investment bank in a consolidated antitrust action regarding the CDS market.

Investigations and Government Litigation

• Represents a major multinational telecommunications equipment company against charges of racketeering, trade secret theft, bank fraud, and other alleged offenses in a pending federal criminal case in the Eastern District of New York.
• Numerous internal investigations involving whistleblower, accounting and executive issues.
• Represented numerous investment advisers and principals in SEC investigations or examinations concerning regulatory priority issues, such as expense allocation, adviser compensation, valuation of fund holdings, cross trades, disclosure of investment risk and adequacy of compliance procedures.

Melissa’s representative engagements prior to joining Sidley include:

• Representation of a major electronics company in a series of ongoing patent infringement and breach of contract lawsuits with a telecommunications company. At trial, successfully defeated the telecommunications company’s attempt to ban the importation of virtually all of the electronics company’s products. 
• Representation of a major publishing company in an arbitration involving various contract and tort claims arising out of a publishing agreement with an author. Obtained a complete dismissal of all asserted claims. 
• Representation of a major publisher in its copyright infringement action against an e-book publisher. Secured a complete victory on summary judgment. 
• Representation of a major electronics company in a major patent infringement litigation. Successfully obtained full victory on summary judgment. 
• Representation of National Public Radio in an internal review of the firing of Juan Williams in 2010 following his controversial on-air remarks about his feelings towards Muslims. 
• Representation of a savings and loan association in a highly confidential and sensitive government investigation concerning its mortgage lending practices.

Melissa also maintains an active pro bono practice. She has represented families of children with disabilities in need of special education support and services and secured full victory after a hearing.

Melissa was previously recognized for her pro bono contribution to protect prisoners from violence and physical abuse. She managed a team assisting the Prisoners’ Rights Project to stave off likely action by New York City to terminate the class action injunction obtained in Fisher v. Koehler, which requires measures to reduce inmate-inmate and staff-inmate violence at the Eric M. Taylor Center on Rikers Island.

• Melissa is a member of the New York City Bar Association where she currently serves as Co-Chair of the Council on the Profession. She previously served as Chair of the Women in the Legal Profession Committee.
• Melissa also serves on the Cornell Law School Dean’s Advisory Council and is vice president of Latino Lawyers of Cornell. She formerly served on the Cornell Alumni Association Executive Board of Directors.
• Melissa is a member of Sidley’s Diversity Committee and the New York Committee on Retention and Promotion of Women.