Melissa Scadden is the Managing Partner at Justitia Lawyers & Consultants, where she leads with a focus on comprehensive employment law matters. Her expertise encompasses advising employers across the private sector in diverse industries such as education, government, healthcare, and professional services. Melissa is dedicated to fostering thriving workplaces by adopting proactive strategies rather than merely mitigating risks. Her legal journey includes in-house experience both in Australia and internationally, providing her with the unique ability to add tangible value to client relationships beyond traditional legal counsel. Melissa's career highlights involve advising on intricate employment-related issues, including business restructures, workplace investigations, post-employment restraints, and FWC proceedings. She is also proficient in mediation and regularly conducts workplace training programs. Melissa's recent work showcases her adept handling of sensitive and complex cases. These include managing Code of Conduct breaches, acting in Federal Court proceedings for professional associations, and advising educational boards on executive complaints. Her role in significant projects involves overseeing workplace reviews, managing leadership team transitions, and mitigating risks in industrial actions. Before her leadership role at Justitia, Melissa held pivotal positions including Partner and Senior Associate, providing extensive advice on industrial relations and employment litigation. Her experience as a legal secondee at Linfox Armaguard and ExxonMobil further honed her capabilities in managing enterprise bargaining, performance management, and due diligence in employment law implications. Melissa's educational foundation was laid at the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, followed by legal qualifications from BPP Law School. Her professional trajectory is distinguished by her commitment to improving legal and workplace environments through her nuanced understanding of employment law.
Trainee Solicitor
Hogan Lovells
Managing Partner
Justitia Lawyers & Consultants
Jul 2022 - Present • 4 years 4 months
Partner
Justitia Lawyers & Consultants
Jul 2019 - Jul 2022 • 3 years
Senior Associate
Justitia Lawyers & Consultants
Mar 2017 - Jun 2019 • 2 years 3 months
Legal Secondee
Linfox Armaguard Pty Ltd
Jun 2014 - Jan 2015 • 7 months
Legal Secondee
ExxonMobil
Sep 2010 - Mar 2011 • 6 months
Legal Practice Course, Law
BPP Law School
2008 - 2009
Graduate Diploma of Law
BPP Law School
2006 - 2008
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Criminology
University of Melbourne
1999 - 2001
Best Lawyers: Employee Benefits Law and Labour and Employment Law
Best Lawyers
Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Australia (17th Edition) for Employee Benefits Law
The Best Lawyers in Australia
Last checked: 1 Apr 2026 • Checked with Victorian Legal Services Board
