Melissa Ventrone

Biography

Melissa Ventrone, chair of Wilson Elser’s Data Privacy & Security practice, focuses on class action privacy litigation, privacy breach response (pre- and post-event), payment card industry (PCI) standards and investigations, and advising clients in identifying, evaluating and managing first- and third-party data privacy and security risks. Melissa has represented numerous clients in litigation and arbitration, including disputes related to privacy, invasion of privacy, contracts, consumer fraud, statutory claims and other matters, using her strong organizational and advocacy skills to obtain the best results for clients.Melissa frequently advises clients on compliance with state, federal and international laws and regulations. She leads Wilson Elser’s breach response team, quickly bringing lawyers, clients and forensic and breach response vendors together to optimize response time and effectiveness. Melissa has handled numerous breaches for small and large entities, including merchants, financial institutions, medical providers and educational institutions, successfully reducing public and regulatory scrutiny and protecting clients’ reputations.Among her many leadership roles, Melissa has served in several key positions in the Marine Corps Reserve, including Company Commander for a 200-person unit, Executive Officer for a 329-person company forward deployed to Afghanistan, and most recently Operations Officer for a 1,000-person motor transport battalion. Melissa is a Major, currently serving as the S-4 Officer for Combat Logistics Regiment 4, Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve. In her free time, Melissa volunteers as an ombudsman for the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, acting as a neutral mediator assisting employers and service members in resolving employment-related disputes.

Education

No information available.

Admissions/Licenses

• Bar Admissions: IL