Her Story
About Melissa
Melissa Lewis is a paralegal based in Portland, Oregon. She works remotely as a freelancer for attorneys, including public defender Hal Landrum in New Mexico, whom she has assisted for about six months. Lewis also provides services to self-represented litigants, focusing on paperwork organization and support with protection orders. Her path into the legal field began after she successfully represented herself through abusive litigation, CPS involvement, and false charges stemming from her experiences as a stepmother and domestic violence victim. Under the mentorship of a public defender, she drafted her own meritorious dismissal, which led to her being hired as a paralegal. Prior to this role, Lewis worked in affordable housing and was active in the Portland activist community, in addition to various jobs in cafes and bars. She values practical experience and work samples over formal degrees or certifications, advice she received from Hal Landrum that helped her overcome imposter syndrome.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Melissa
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Hal Landrum really encouraged me after we were talking about my case. He said okay Melissa tell me why and can you cite that and can you write a memo. More than anything he encouraged me to get out of my imposter syndrome. It's not always about the certificates or the degree. You don't always have to go into tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Sometimes if you have the talent and you've proven it through years of work and you have the work samples to prove that you've done it.
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