Melissa Menkel McGuire

Melissa Menkel McGuire

Partner

Committed to your success.

Melissa Menkel McGuire is a partner at Wright, Constable & Skeen in the firm’s Employment and Labor Law Practice Group Ms. McGuire practices before federal and state courts and administrative agencies throughout Maryland, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, representing businesses in all aspects of employment law. She aggressively defends claims alleging violations of wage and hour law, wage payment and collection law, family and medical leave law, employment civil rights laws and breach of contract. She also defends employment tort claims such as wrongful discharge, negligent hiring and retention and defamation.

Ms. McGuire also regularly provides employers advice and counsel on all aspects of the employment relationship, including disciplinary matters, leave, benefits, policies and procedures, wage and hour compliance, protection of confidential, proprietary and trade secret information, employment contracts, severance, unemployment benefit issues, hire letters, discrimination and retaliation, independent contractor classification and employee medical issues. In addition, she provides advice and counsel to executives and professionals on employment contracts, compensation, restrictive covenants and severance agreements. Ms. McGuire provides human resources training on topics such as effective documentation of personnel issues and avoidance of illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. She also conducts workplace investigations of complaints of discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

Ms. McGuire has published articles and regularly speaks on employment law topics. She has presented before the Maryland State Bar Association Annual Conference, the Bar Association of Baltimore City and the Chesapeake Society for Human Resources Managers. She has been recognized for several years in the Maryland SuperLawyers publication as well as a Maryland Legal Elite by SmartCEO Magazine. In 2016 and 2017, she was recognized by Superlawyers as a top 50 Maryland women attorney and in 2017 as a top 100 Maryland attorney. In addition, she has been recognized by the Best Lawyers in America and her personal firm was previously recognized a Tier 1 Best Law Firm Employment Law- Management by U.S. News & World Report.

Ms. McGuire is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association. She also serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association.

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Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

Maryland

District of Columbia

West Virginia

United States District Court for the District of Maryland

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

United States Supreme Court

Education

University of Maryland School of Law, 1994

  • Juris doctorate (with honor)
  • Maryland Law Review
  • Moot Court Board

College of Notre Dame of Maryland, 1991

  • Baccalaureate arts (cum laude)

Awards & Recognitions

  • Superlawyers, 2016 – top 50 Maryland women attorneys
  • Superlawyers, 2017 – top 100 Maryland attorneys
  • Best Lawyers in America
  • Maryland Super Lawyers®, 2021

Awards & Recognitions

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
  • Maryland State Bar Association, Immediate Past Chair of Labor and Employment Law Section

Articles & Publications

  • “EEOC’s Updated Guidance on Vaccinations.” The Daily Record. read here
  • “Maryland and MoCo Pass Legislation Expanding Paid, Sick, Family & Safe Leave Benefits: Governor Hogan Vetoes State Bill.” Maryland State Bar Association Bar Bulletin June 2017. Print.
  • “Criminal and Credit Background Checks in the Employment Context.” The Maryland Bar Journal November/December 2013 XLVI.6 (2013): 32-39. Print.
  • “Changing Personnel Issues in an Economic Downturn.” The Maryland Bar Journal July/August 2009 XLII.4 (2009): 4-11. Print.
  • “Corporate damages under Title VII and other civil rights statutes that apply to employment,” DRI – The Voice of the Defense Bar, August 2009. Print.
  • “Kadlec Medical Center v. Western Professional Insurance Co.” Maryland State Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law XIII (Summer 2008): 18-19. Print.
  • “How Old Are You? And Other Interview Questions to Avoid.” Baltimore SmartCEO (2007): 41. Print.
  • “Supreme Court Recognizes Same-Sex Harassment.” The Advocate 14 (Winter 1998): 1. Print.

Community Activity

  • Board Member, Better Business Bureau of Central Maryland, Inc.

  • American Bar Association
  • Maryland State Bar Association, Immediate Past Chair of Labor and Employment Law Section

  • “EEOC’s Updated Guidance on Vaccinations.” The Daily Record. read here
  • “Maryland and MoCo Pass Legislation Expanding Paid, Sick, Family & Safe Leave Benefits: Governor Hogan Vetoes State Bill.” Maryland State Bar Association Bar Bulletin June 2017. Print.
  • “Criminal and Credit Background Checks in the Employment Context.” The Maryland Bar Journal November/December 2013 XLVI.6 (2013): 32-39. Print.
  • “Changing Personnel Issues in an Economic Downturn.” The Maryland Bar Journal July/August 2009 XLII.4 (2009): 4-11. Print.
  • “Corporate damages under Title VII and other civil rights statutes that apply to employment,” DRI – The Voice of the Defense Bar, August 2009. Print.
  • “Kadlec Medical Center v. Western Professional Insurance Co.” Maryland State Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law XIII (Summer 2008): 18-19. Print.
  • “How Old Are You? And Other Interview Questions to Avoid.” Baltimore SmartCEO (2007): 41. Print.
  • “Supreme Court Recognizes Same-Sex Harassment.” The Advocate 14 (Winter 1998): 1. Print.

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  • Board Member, Better Business Bureau of Central Maryland, Inc.