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Partner and Indiana Practice Group Lead for the Employment & Labor Relations Group | Taft Stettinius & Hollister
Melissa Macchia is the youngest and only female partner in Taft’s Indianapolis employment group and the youngest practice group lead in any group firmwide. Most of her work is litigation-based, and she often appears in Indiana federal courts. In the last seven years, she’s led her team to summary judgment wins on 17 different matters, and she’s also had success in several federal appeals. As a member of Taft’s Gender Advancement Committee, she spearheaded the office “town hall” program where employees discuss ideas for new initiatives and provide an avenue for the women of Taft to discuss other matters of significance in a safe and private setting.
Getting here: Macchia interned for former Sen. Evan Bayh while she was an undergrad and planned to work as a legislative aide after law school. But after taking several practical courses during law school, she decided to try private practice. She started as a contract attorney for a small law firm in Carmel where she worked on discovery for a larger case and volunteered as a clerk for Judge Michael Keele at the Marion County Superior Court. Her first full-time job in private practice was with the employment law firm Betz + Blevins. Nine months later, she moved to Taft.
First job: Hostess, Outback Steakhouse
Influential moment: Joining the employment group at Taft. “I had started my career in environmental law. [When joining Taft] I had to learn a new subject area, new personalities and a new work style, and also had to basically start from scratch to prove my abilities. That decision has led me to a career that I love.”
Givebacks: Board member, MCCOY (Marion County Commission on Youth). “Since I was a kid, I’ve been involved in volunteer efforts in Indianapolis, including soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, my parents’ homeless families foundation, and tutoring and providing mentorship to inner-city youth.”
Advice: “Be the hardest worker, especially when you are younger in your career—it truly pays off and paves the way for great success.”•
Check out more Forty Under 40 honorees.
Editor’s note: This profile has been updated to clarify that Macchia is the youngest partner and only female partner in Taft’s Indianapolis employment group.
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