Melissa McLaughlin

Melissa McLaughlin joined J&K as an Associate Attorney in September 2026, when Hammond and Shinners joined J&K.  Melissa brings a diverse legal background to J&K, with experience in estate planning, probate, business law, labor law, and employee benefits. Throughout her career, Melissa has developed a practical, client-focused approach to helping individuals, businesses, labor organizations, and public entities navigate a wide range of legal matters.

Melissa began her legal career as a sole practitioner, where she focused on probate and estate planning, as well as business and transactional law. After joining firm life, she continued to advise clients in those areas while expanding her practice to include traditional labor law, employee benefits, and the representation of political subdivisions in matters arising under Section 321 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. Her diverse practice allows her to provide practical legal solutions tailored to the unique needs of each client.

Her broad legal experience, collaborative approach, and commitment to providing thoughtful, responsive counsel make her a valuable addition to the firm’s labor and employee benefits practices. J&K is grateful to welcome an attorney whose versatility and dedication will serve clients across multiple practice areas.