Melissa Weinberger was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She obtained her BA from American University in Washington, DC where she double majored in International Relations and Spanish/Latin American Studies. After college, Melissa returned to Los Angeles and attended Loyola Law School where she earned her JD. She subsequently joined the Law Offices of Mark J. Werksman, a boutique criminal defense firm, where she worked for over 9 years. In 2015, Melissa co-founded Touchton & Weinberger LLP with her colleague Amanda Touchton. Upon Amanda’s stepping away from the practice of law in 2022, Melissa opened the Law Offices of Melissa A. Weinberger.
Melissa was based in downtown Los Angeles until mid-2024, when she opened her office in a lovely craftsman house in a commercial zone in Pasadena. Her office is convenient to access and discrete.
Melissa lives in Pasadena with her husband, two kids, and their family dog, Doc. She enjoys running, yoga, gardening, her neighborhood book club, and spending time with family and friends.
Melissa reads and speaks conversational Spanish.
BAR ADMISSIONS
California, 2005
U.S. District Court Central District of California, 2005
Utah, 2012
U.S. District Court District of Utah, 2012
EDUCATION
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California
Law Review: Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review, 2003 – 2005
American University, Washington, D.C., B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
Honors: Dean’s List
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
Honors: University Honors Program
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
California Public Defender’s Association
PUBLISHED WORK
The Effect of Luis v. United States on Penal Code Section 186.11, Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine (April 2017) (co-authored with Amanda Touchton)
Prop. 47: What it Does, How to Use it, and Outstanding Questions (Including that Quirky Firearm Provision), Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine (March 2015)(co-authored with Kelly C. Quinn)
Expanding Application of People v. Hofsheier, California Defender Magazine (2009)
Extradition and Constitutional Rights: Time for Change, ABA White Collar Crime Newsletter (2007) (co-authored with Kelly C. Quinn)