Overview
Melissa Preston maintains a general civil and commercial litigation practice, with interest and experience in the areas of contract law, professional liability, shareholder disputes, including oppression and derivative actions, and directors’ duties. She also has experience in insurance, municipal, estate litigation, and construction matters. Melissa assists a wide variety of clients, ranging from individual shareholders and directors of small family-run companies to global construction companies and insurers. She is versed in interpreting complex corporate, estate and financial documents, as well as resolving issues in estate and family trusts matters with corporate elements.
Melissa brings a strong academic background to her practice, having clerked at the Court of Queen’s Bench to the Honourable Justice Donna Shelley, serving on the editorial board of the Alberta Law Review, and receiving the Judges’ Bronze Medal in Law for standing 3rd overall in her graduating class. She is known for her attention to detail and preparedness, while recognizing the importance of providing practical and cost-efficient advice to, and results for, her clients.
Professional achievements & leadership
- Recipient, Judges’ Bronze Medal in Law, University of Alberta, 2014
- Recipient, John E. Brownlee Memorial Prize in Local Government Law, University of Alberta, 2014
- Recipient, Chief Justice S. Bruce Smith Prize for achieving highest standing in first year law, University of Alberta, 2012
- Recipient, The Blake, Cassels and Graydon Second Year Scholarship, University of Alberta, 2012
- Recipient, The Dr. Alexander Smith, Q.C. Prize in the Subject of Contract, University of Alberta, 2012
Thought leadership
- Presenter, “Smartphone Applications for Family Law,” Alberta Law Conference, 2015
Community involvement
- Volunteer, Civil Claims Duty Counsel, 2015-present
- Volunteer, Queen’s Bench Amicus Program, 2015-present
- Volunteer, Student Legal Services Civil Division, 2011-2012
Professional memberships
- Member, Law Society of Alberta
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
Bar admissions & education
- Alberta Bar, 2015
- J.D. (with distinction), University of Alberta, 2014
- B.Comm. (with distinction), University of Alberta, 2010
