Melissa Gillinov

Melissa A. Gillinov advises clients on a wide range of insurance-related matters. In addition to handling coverage disputes for insurer clients, she advises individuals and businesses facing automobile coverage disputes and construction defect litigation.

Armed with more than 15 years of experience, Melissa strives to provide each of her clients with solutions tailored to their legal issues and long-term goals. A majority of Melissa’s practice is dedicated to handling insurance coverage disputes. She also prepares coverage opinions and represents insurance agents in subrogation actions and E&O disputes.

When it comes to automobile coverage disputes, Melissa has handled matters pertaining to business use exclusions in non-trucking liability policies and uninsured motorist provisions in personal, business, and umbrella policies.

As for construction defect litigation, she has represented carriers in lawsuits involving large homes, condominium associations, commercial real estate, underground utility lines, and deaths caused by work-related accidents and professional negligence.

Before joining Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Melissa was a law clerk to the Honorable W. Matthew Stevenson, Chief Judge of the Fourth District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach, Florida. During law school, Melissa held a number of internships, including working for the :

• Civil Division, Office of Immigration Litigation of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.;
• Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice; and the
• Civil Division, Federal Tort Claims Act Office.

She also clerked for the Special Counsel in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. In addition to her other law school achievements, Melissa was an active participant in Moot Court and a member of the Moot Court Society. She was also involved with the Administrative Law Review and served as the publication’s Articles Editor.

Education :

• J.D., American University Washington College of Law, 2003
• B.A., cum laude, Wheaton College, 1999

Admissions :

• Florida
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Middle, Northern, and Southern Districts of Florida