Melodie A. McQuade - Partner
Melodie is a litigator who represents individuals and businesses in a variety of civil litigation matters across a wide range of industries. She regularly represents clients in state and federal court, and also assists clients in state and federal administrative proceedings.
Melodie focuses her practice on litigation, including commercial, employment, business tort, eminent domain, construction, real property, and procurement matters. Experienced in all stages of dispute resolution, Melodie handles cases from the pre-litigation phase through trial and appeal. Before joining Givens Pursley in 2013, Melodie worked as an associate attorney at a litigation firm in Washington, D.C., and as a trial-level judicial law clerk in Virginia.
Recognition
- Mountain States Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Civil Litigation (2024)
- Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (2025)
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation (2024)
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Litigation – Construction (2023-2024)
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Litigation – Labor and Employment (2024)
- Tribute to Women and Industry (TWIN) Honoree, Women’s and Children’s Alliance (2016)
Education
- J.D., The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (2011), magna cum laude
- Lead Articles Editor, Catholic University Law Review
- B.A. in English and French, Mount St. Mary's University (2007), magna cum laude
Admissions
- Idaho
- Virginia (inactive)
- U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Clerkship
- Honorable Marcus D. Williams of the Fairfax Circuit Court, Fairfax, VA
Memberships & Affiliations
- Idaho State Bar, Litigation and Appellate Practice Sections
- Richard C. Fields American Inn of Court (Secretary, 2020-2021; Vice President, 2021-2022; President, 2022-2023)
- Idaho Women Lawyers
- Idaho Academy of Leadership for Lawyers, Idaho State Bar, Class of 2016-2017
- Part of trial team that represented real estate developer in breach of contract and professional negligence action against architects who failed to design a multifamily condominium project in compliance with building codes and the FHA. The jury awarded the developer $2,648,770 in damages.
- Part of case and appeal team that successfully challenged the legality of a procurement for statewide broadband telecommunications system.
- Part of case team that obtained an injunction to protect life insurance proceeds held in trust by welfare benefit plan, and which were the subject of separate interpleader actions in the Southern District of New York. A favorable settlement was reached in the Idaho and New York cases after the injunction was entered.
- Part of case team that successfully defended developer in lawsuit challenging the terms of a real estate purchase and sale transaction.
- Part of case team that obtained favorable decision on petition, brought under the Idaho Judicial Confirmation Law, which sought confirmation that client could issue bonds based on a finding that new statutory program did not violate the Idaho Constitution.
- Obtained favorable settlements for businesses and individuals in response to eminent domain actions brought by various governmental entities in Idaho.
- Litigated enforceability of non-competition and other employment agreements, including obtaining an injunction against former independent contractor.
- Obtained favorable summary judgment rulings and settlements on behalf of banks and other creditors regarding consumer and commercial debts, including secured creditors in the agricultural context.
- Obtained no cause determinations in response to HUD discrimination investigations.
- Panelist, “Social Media & Ethics” presentation at Idaho State Bar Annual Meeting (July 24, 2020).
- Note, Opening the Umbrella: The Expansion of the Prosecutorial Vindictiveness Doctrine in United States v. Jenkins, 59 CATH. U. L. REV. 855 (2010).