Ms. Melissa Ivy Softness

Melissa Softness focuses her practice in the areas of product, employment and casualty litigation. She represents clients in the manufacturing, distribution, retail, automotive, boating, marine and personal watercraft industries throughout Florida against negligence and product defect claims. Melissa also represents employers against claims of employment discrimination and retaliation such as religion, national origin, race, gender, age, and political patronage, asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Chapter 760, Florida Statutes; Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871; the American Disabilities Act (ADA); and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA.)

While working at the Office of the State Attorney for Miami-Dade County, Melissa gained extensive trial experience, trying 18 jury trials and more than 50 bench trials. In addition, she conducted several highly contested evidentiary and Daubert hearings and successfully defended a First Amendment Appeal.

Before joining RumbergerKirk, she worked in civil practice gaining further trial experience in both state and federal courts.

Drawing on her trial experience, Melissa teaches trial skills to law students by serving as a faculty member at the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques at Emory Law. This week-long, required course for students includes a series of workshops that culminates with a simulated jury trial. The program integrates second-year students’ knowledge of substantive evidence law with practical skills in a “learning-by-doing” format, all under the watchful eye of renowned trial lawyers, judges, and trial skills teachers who travel in from all over the country to teach Emory’s students.

Awards & Honors

•Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star, Personal Injury Products: Defense, 2023-2025
•Recipient, '40 Under 40 Award,' Miami-Dade Bar YLS, February 2023

Articles & Presentations

•Co-presenter, 'Mastering Discovery: The Nuts and Bolts,' Pincus Professional Education Webinar, March 7, 2024
•Presenter, 'Nuts & Bolts of Civil Litigation: Navigating a Personal Injury Case From Defense and Plaintiff Perspectives,' The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Webinar, October 2023
•Panelist, 'Navigating the Shift: Unpacking Florida's Tort Reform for Young Lawyers,' The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, June 2023
•Co-presenter, 'The Hook Brings the Jury Back: The Importance of Trial Themes and How to Use Them Before a Jury,' Celesq/Thompson Reuters Webinar, February 2023
•Author, 'New Non-Compete Rule May Not Pass But Employers Should Stay On Alert,' January 2023
•Author, 'The Importance of Trial Themes and How to Use Them Before a Jury,' Daily Business Review, October 28, 2022 edition
•Author, 'When are COVID-19 Policies a “Business Necessity”? The EEOC’s New Guidance on Navigating the Post-Pandemic Workplace,' September 2022
•Co-Author, 'Social Unrest, COVID-19 and School-Required Masks: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?' published in Business Alabama, September 2020
•Co-Author, 'Social Unrest, the COVID-19 Pandemic and School-Required Masks: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?' August 2020

Melissa's News and Insights

06.26.2025
Firm News

Five RumbergerKirk Attorneys Selected for the 2025 Florida Super Lawyers List

Orlando, FL- June 26, 2025 - Five RumbergerKirk attorneys have...

06.24.2024
Firm News

Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes RumbergerKirk Attorneys

Orlando, FL- June 24, 2024 - RumbergerKirk is pleased to...

03.07.2024
Events

Mastering Discovery: The Nuts and Bolts

RumbergerKirk partners Gigi Cordova and Melissa Softness participated in a...

10.25.2023
Events

Nuts & Bolts of Civil Litigation: Navigating a Personal Injury Case From Defense and Plaintiff Perspectives

RumbergerKirk partner Melissa Softness provided the defense perspective in a...

06.26.2023
Firm News

Seven RumbergerKirk Attorneys Listed in 2023 Florida Super Lawyers

Orlando, FL- June 26, 2023 - RumbergerKirk is pleased to...

05.09.2023
Media Mentions

How I Made Partner: ‘Don’t Sell Yourself to the Higher Bidder’ Advises Melissa Softness

Melissa Softness shares advice for becoming partner in the Law.com...

02.24.2023
Firm News

Two RumbergerKirk Attorneys Selected for Miami-Dade Bar YLS 40 Under 40 Awards

RumbergerKirk Partner Melissa Softness was among 40 honorees for the...

02.01.2023
Firm News

RumbergerKirk Promotes New Partners

MIAMI, Fla., February 1, 2023 - RumbergerKirk announces two attorneys...

02.21.2023
Events

The Hook Brings the Jury Back: The Importance of Trial Themes and How to Use Them Before a Jury

Trial themes can make all the difference in what the...

01.17.2023
Employment and Labor

New Non-Compete Rule May Not Pass But Employers Should Stay On Alert

For the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed rule to ban...

Photo:Shutterstock/Piotr Swat