Melanie Mito May, a partner with MJW since 2003, has dedicated her career to working with management to find solutions to employment problems. She has assisted employers in drafting employment contracts, creating employee handbooks, enforcing employment policies and investigating employee misconduct. Ms. Mito May has counseled employers on a variety of subjects, including wage and hour issues, non-compete and confidentiality agreements, workplace violence, attendance and leave issues, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, drug testing (including DOT drug testing), criminal background checks, plant closings and layoffs. She also has considerable experience dealing with contingent workforce issues.

Ms. Mito May has guided small and large employers through investigations and audits conducted by the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and United States Department of Labor. Ms. Mito May has worked with employers to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently through mediation and arbitration. Where litigation has been necessary, Ms. Mito May has successfully defended employers in federal and state court.

Ms. Mito May is a graduate of Santa Clara University, and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Following law school, she completed a clerkship with the Honorable Daniel G. Heely and the Honorable Kevin S.C. Chang at the State of Hawaii Circuit Court of the First Circuit. She joined MJW as an associate in 1997.