Melissa A. Jones

• Representing Fortune 500 waste haulers and national insurance carriers in commercial recovery claims throughout Ohio.
• Preserving multi-million dollar lien claims for construction industries on a nationwide basis.
• Counseling national skilled nursing facilities, staffing agencies, publicly-traded real estate management and material supply companies in account balance recovery options.
• Securing high balance commercial debt through perfecting and enforcing security interests on behalf of manufacturers, food service industries and aircraft providers.
• Locating assets through discovery and detailed research to identify hidden property and potential fraudulent transfer claims.

Education

• Cleveland State University College of Law/CSU College of Law, J.D., 2002
• The Ohio State University, B.A., with Honors, 1996
• The University of York, United Kingdom, Study Abroad Program, 1995

Admissions

• State of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio and Southern District of Ohio
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Ohio and Southern District of Ohio

Professional Affiliations

• American Arbitration Association—Arbitrator, Consumer Panel (2021-Present)
• American Bar Association—Member (2002-Present)
• Ohio State Bar Association—Member (2002-Present)
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association—Member (2002-Present)
• Surety Association of Ohio

Community Involvement

• City of Hudson Planning Commission (2021-Present) 
• Hudson City Council Charter Review Commission (2020)
• Hudson High School Music Association—Board Member (2019-Present) 
• Akron Children’s Hospital—Holiday Tree Festival Volunteer and Decorator (2010-2014)
• Lifebanc—"Over the Edge" Rapel Participant (2021); Gift of Life Walk and Run Planning Committee Member (2009-2011)

Firm Involvement

• Chair, Women's Initiative Committee—Frantz Ward (2018-2019)

• Named to The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Commercial Litigation (2024)
• Recipient of the YWCA of Greater Cleveland Women of Professional Excellence Award (2021) 

• "Unjust Enrichment: The Subcontractor’s Claim Against the Owner When the General Contractor is “Unavailable for Judgment”," Frantz Ward On the Level (October 2023)
• "Easing the Seasonal Labor Shortage," Properties Magazine (March 2022)
• "Restaurant Revitalization Fund: First Results," Frantz Ward Client Alert (May 2021)
• "Keep the Water Moving: Clarity on Important Surface Drainage Requirements," Frantz Ward On the Level (April 2021)
• "Will PPP Loan Questionnaires Impact Forgiveness?" Properties Magazine (March 2021) 
• "Forgiveness is Divine: Looking at the 2021 PPP?" Podcast Host, Shoveling Smoke - A Frantz Ward Lawcast (February 2021)
• "Caselaw Update: Ohio Court Clarifies Contractual ADR Provisions Do Not Defeat Mechanic’s Lien Rights and Enforcement," Frantz Ward Client Alert (December 2020) 
• "PPP Loan Forgiveness Updates: October 22, 2020," Frantz Ward Client Alert (October 2020) 
• "PPP Roundup as of June 16, 2020," Frantz Ward Client Alert (June 2020) 
• "The CARES Act: Paycheck Protection Program," Frantz Ward Client Alert (March 2020)
• "Federal Disaster Relief Loans Now Available to Ohio's Small Business and Non-Profits Affected by COVID-19," Frantz Ward Client Alert (March 2020)
• "The Impact of Coronavirus on Business Contracts: Tips to Minimize Risk," Frantz Ward Client Alert (March 2020) 
• "Managing the Unexpected," Properties Magazine (February 2020)
• "Lien Waivers: What You Don't Know Can Cost You," The Builder's Exchange eNewsletter (January 2020) 
• "Can You Serve a Notice of Furnishing Too Early? Maybe..." Frantz Ward On The Level (September 2019) 
• “Creditor’s Beware: Present Your Claim to a Decedent's Estate Before You Pursue the Surviving Spouse,” Frantz Ward Client Alert (December 2018) 
• "Civil AND Criminal Liability for Breaching a Contract?  Yes Virginia, It Does Exist," Frantz Ward On the Level (July 2018)
• "What Do You Mean I May Not Get a Refund?," Frantz Ward Client Alert (May 2018)
• “Arbitrating Claims With Non-Signatories,” Properties Magazine (July 2015)
• "Lien Law Traps: What You Should Know,” The Builders Exchange eNewsletter (December 2010)

• "The Aftermath of Government Lending Programs Created During the Pandemic," Association of Corporate Counsel, Cleveland, OH (August 2021)
• "COVID Commentary: Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness: Tips, Tricks and Updates," Frantz Ward Webinar (September 2020)
• “COVID Commentary: Payroll Protection Program - Updates and Lessons Learned for Round 2 and Keys to Forgiveness for Both Rounds,” Frantz Ward Webinar (April 2020)
• "COVID Commentary: Protecting and Turning Back On Your Revenue Stream," Frantz Ward Webinar (April 2020)
• "SBA/Paycheck Protection Loan Program," Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA) Webinar (March 2020)
• "Bankruptcy," Association of Corporate Counsel, Cleveland, OH (August 2019) 
• "Ohio Lien Law- A Referesher and Updates," Advice From the Trenches, Frantz Ward Construction Practice Seminar, Cleveland, OH (February 2019) 
• “How to Obtain a Judgment,” National Business Institute Seminar, Collection Law: The Ultimate Guide, Cleveland, OH (December 2018)
• "Collection Techniques for Subcontractors," Lorman Live Webinar (February 2018)
• "Skip Tracing and Locating Assets Techniques," Lorman Education Services, Webinar (December 2017)
• “Collecting from a Business,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (October 2017)
• "What Do You Do If You Do Not Get Paid?" and "Ethical Considerations,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (May 2017)
• “Skip Tracing and Locating Assets Techniques,” Lorman Education Services, Webinar (April 2017)
• “Bank Levies and Wage Garnishment,” National Business Institute, National Presentation (December 2015)
• “Strategies for Legal Research on the Web,” National Business Institute, Cleveland/Akron, OH (November 2015)
• “Mechanic’s Liens in Ohio,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (June 2015)
• “2014 Guide to Collection Law,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (May 2014)
• “Collection Law Tips and Strategies,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (May 2013)
• “Collection Law,” LawReviewCLE, Columbus, OH (August 2012)
• “Collections: Seeking and Collecting a Judgment,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (July 2012)
• “Collection Law: Debtors, Assets, and Judgment,” LawReviewCLE, National Presentation (June 2012)
• “Nuts and Bolts of Collection Law,” National Business Institute, National Presentation (February 2012)
• “Advanced Skip Tracing and Finding Hidden Assets,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (December 2011)
• “Find It Free and Fast on the Net,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (November 2011)
• “FDCPA and Collecting the Judgment,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (July 2011)
• “Commercial Collections: Legal Strategies From A-Z,” National Business Institute, Cleveland, OH (April 2011)

• Featured in, "Hudson woman rappels down 23-story building for a good cause," Akron Beacon Journal (October 2021)