Overview
Melanie Ayerh focuses her practice primarily on complex commercial and class action litigation.
Melanie has experience counseling and defending corporate entities, including Fortune 500 companies, in consumer fraud, product liability, violations of consumer protection statutes, toxic exposures, and mass tort matters. She has extensive experience in all phases of litigation, from inception through discovery and trial.
Melanie's background in biology and chemistry has allowed her to develop a particular proficiency in technical, scientific, and medical matters, including issues related to toxic exposure and their sequelae. She strives to develop efficient and creative strategies to advance her clients' interests and has obtained favorable results through pre-filing negotiations, dispositive motion practice and settlement negotiations.
- California
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- J.D., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 2014, Editor, UCLA Journal of Law and Technology; UCLA Law Moot Court Honors Board
- B.A., Mount Holyoke College, cum laude, Biology/Chemistry
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
- Obtained multiple dismissals of putative class action claims in New York, Florida and California for manufacturer and several global retail clients alleging that labels on hand sanitizer products were allegedly misleading. Obtained de-certification of a certified class of hand sanitizer consumers, followed by a subsequent denial of attempted re-certification, and ultimately dismissal of all claims with prejudice. Courts have now found that, under controlling precedent in multiple states, the statement on a hand sanitizer product's label that it "kills 99% of germs*" is not misleading in light of information on the product's rear label.
News & Publications
Press Releases
Steptoe Announces Partner and Counsel Promotions for January 1, 2025
November 19, 2024
Media Mentions
Steptoe Helps Client CVS Fend Off Class Status in Hand Sanitizer Lawsuit
Bloomberg Law
May 10, 2022
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 125 Individual Mentions in Best Lawyers in America 2021
August 20, 2020
Noteworthy
- Super Lawyers, Southern California, "Rising Star" (2024-2025)
- Best Lawyers in America, "One to Watch," Commercial Litigation (2021-2022, 2025)
- Best Lawyers in America, "One to Watch," Environmental Law (2021-2022, 2025)
- The National Black Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 (2020)