Kelly Ruane Melchiondo
Shareholder
OVERVIEW
Miami Office
[email protected]
Kelly Ruane Melchiondo is a Shareholder in the Litigation Department, and is a
Phone: 305-789-3529
member of the Firm's Hiring and Cybersecurity Committees and Latin America
Practice Group. Kelly's practice focuses on complex litigation matters at the trial
PRACTICE AREAS
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
and appellate levels in both federal and state courts.
A Miami native, Kelly is fluent in Spanish.
Law Firm Ethics & Professional
During law school, Kelly served as a legal intern for the Honorable Judge Mario P.
Responsibility
Goderich of the Florida Third District Court of Appeal and served on the Esdaile
Arts, Sports & Culture
Moot Court Board. As an undergraduate at the University of Miami, Kelly was the
Cybersecurity
Editor-in-Chief of The Miami Hurricane newspaper and wrote for the Miami Herald’s
International
Miami Beach Neighbors section.
Hospitality & Leisure
Technology
Construction
Professional Liability Defense
Product Liability
Appellate
Class Actions
LANGUAGES
Spanish
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Successfully represented a Miami sports team in prosecuting professional negligence claims against arena architect and
its insurer in proceedings in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and Florida state court.
Obtained favorable results for a Miami hotel owner in multiple disputes arising from the negligence of design
professionals and general contractor.
Obtained favorable results for a law firm in a legal malpractice action involving the estate planning advice its former
partner gave to a family trust.
Successfully defended a court-appointed receiver and obtained sanctions against condominium association in the
receiver’s favor in a Florida state court proceeding in which the association alleged the receiver’s malfeasance.
Defense counsel for multinational law firm facing professional malpractice allegations arising out of a Ponzi scheme.
Successfully defended and obtained dismissal with prejudice of national fast-casual restaurant chain in a class action in
the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida alleging improper and deceptive labeling of food.
Represented a luxury health and wellness residential program in litigation adverse to condominium association with
which it shared facilities. Defense counsel for product manufacturer in multiple products liability actions involving residential and mixed-use
building fire sprinkler systems.
Represented Miami hotel owner in construction defect litigation. Advises corporate clients on safeguarding data security and responding to data and security breaches.
LATAM Representative Experience
Successfully represented a Spanish investor, the minority member of a Florida limited liability company, in a derivative
action arising out of the removal of the Spanish member’s representative from the LLC’s management committee.
As co-counsel with a New York law firm, obtained a favorable settlement in Florida federal court for a Japanese
electronics manufacturer that alleged conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, and state law claims against its former employees
in its Miami-based Latin American sales group and several of its customers in Latin America.
Obtained favorable results for an international accounting firm’s Dominican Republic office in a malpractice proceeding
in Florida state court.
Represented a Puerto Rico affiliate of a national health insurer in three multidistrict class actions pending in Florida
federal court against doctors who had alleged that insurers conspired to systematically deny, delay and diminish
payments to doctors who provided services to insurer’s subscribers.
PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The Sedona Conference Working Group 11 - Legal Issues in Cloud Computing Brainstorming, 2017
Boston University Law School Alumni Association Executive Committee, 2016
City Theatre, Chair of the Board of Directors, 2015
City Theatre, Secretary and Member of Board of Directors, 2009-2015
Miami Children’s Museum, Board of Directors
Miami Children’s Museum, Not So Scary Family Halloween Bash Planning Committee, Co-Chair, and Gala Planning
Committee, 2015
Miami Children’s Museum, Not So Scary Family Halloween Bash Planning Committee, 2014 and Gala Planning
Committee, 2014
Cuban American Bar Association, Member
Dade County Bar Association, Member
Graduate of Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Miami Program, 2009
South Florida Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Member
Femfessionals Miami, Member
Ellevate Network, Miami Chapter, Member
RECOGNITION
South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyers in South Florida - Litigation, 2017; Top Up and Comers - Litigation, selected for
inclusion, 2015-2016
Daily Business Review, "Rising Stars: Top 40 Under 40," 2014
Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars, selected for inclusion, 2010-2011
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Publications: Ransom is the New(ish) Hack
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update | May 2017
Publications: Data Breaches May Cost Corporations and Their Directors Dearly
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update | March 2017
Events: Cybersecurity Issues
Counsel Connect South Florida | February 2017
Events: Jump on Board for Attorneys
Arts Board Match, Arts & Business Council of Miami and Dade Legal Aid Put Something Back | May 2016
Events: Executive Showcase Part 1 & Part 2: Voir Dire - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Dade County Bar Association 2016 Bench & Bar Conference | February 2016
NEWSROOM
Firm Announcements: Stearns Weaver Miller Attorneys Recognized by South Florida Legal Guide 2016
January 2016
In the Media: MCM’s Halloween bash nets $96,000 for educational program
Miami Herald | October 2015
In the Media: Miami Children's Museum 'Not So Scary' Halloween Bash
NBC6 In the Mix Interview | October 2015
Firm Announcements: Kelly Ruane Melchiondo Elected Chair of City Theatre Board of Directors
September 2015
Firm Announcements: Kelly Ruane Melchiondo Elected To Miami Children’s Museum Board Of Directors
December 2014
Firm Announcements: Kelly Ruane Melchiondo Named Among Daily Business Review’s 2014 Rising Stars
September 2014
In the Media: The 2014 Rising Stars
Daily Business Review | September 2014
In the Media: Review To Honor Top 40 Lawyers Under 40
Daily Business Review | July 2014
Firm Announcements: Four Attorneys Promoted to Shareholder
November 2009
EDUCATION
J.D., Boston University School of Law, 2002
B.S., University of Miami, 1998
ADMISSIONS
Florida
U.S. District Courts, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida