Melanie J. Cogburn

LITIGATION + CORPORATE COUNSEL

Melanie Cogburn serves as Litigation and Corporate Counsel with MosterWynne, working with the firm’s individual and business clients regarding various liability, risk management, administrative, policy and litigation issues. Ms. Cogburn prosecutes and defends civil lawsuits in State and Federal courts, perfects and conducts appeals, pursues alternative dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration) and advises as to all facets of complex commercial and civil matters. She also helps create new legal entities, such as corporations, LLCs and partnerships, and assists in the creation of our clients' core legal agreements.

Ms. Cogburn helps clients manage the risks and deal with the legal issues that accompany a growing business; she explains to clients the practical implications of each on their business’ goals and growth targets. The focus of her work ranges from vendor and partner disputes to breaches of contract claims and securities fraud; creation and enforcement of Employment, Non-disclosures and Confidentiality Agreements to litigation of ERISA and insurance benefits claims. 

Prior to joining MosterWynne Ms. Cogburn worked with the trial boutique firm Taylor, Dunham & Burgess, L.L.P. for seven years, handling all aspects of litigation.  Before then she served as Staff Attorney for the presiding judge of Travis County, the Honorable John K. Dietz, 250th District Court. In this role she handled all briefing and research for the Court, focusing on business litigation, personal injury and administrative appeals. She drafted jury charges and participated in more than 25 trials to bench and jury.

Ms. Cogburn is a savvy researcher, writer and analyst, in addition to an experienced trial lawyer, which allows her to work alongside clients and advise them throughout the dispute resolution and litigation process. She has repeatedly negotiated favorable settlements for local, regional and national clients, and has played a critical role in winning multi-million dollar cases for individuals and corporations by briefing all legal issues to the court, leading to verdicts upwards of 19 million dollars.

Importantly, Ms. Cogburn leverages her knowledge and risk management outlook when drafting various contracts and agreements, and when advising other MosterWynne attorneys who are putting together these transactions. This includes, among others, partnership and vendor/outsourcing agreements, employment and non-compete agreement, as well as merger and acquisition documents with critical and finely detailed provisions. 

Ms. Cogburn received her Juris Doctorate cum laude from the University of Texas School of Law and her AB cum laude from Smith College.  She is an active member of the State Bar of Texas, and is admitted to practice in State of Texas courts and the United States District Court, Western District.