Profile
Mellori E. Lumpkin-Dawson is a former federal prosecutor and skilled litigator who represents business and individuals in government investigations, complex civil litigation, and employment litigation matters. Mellori is a trusted advocate and advisor with deep experience devloping tailored litigation stategies for clients.
Mellori’s litigation practice includes business and contract disputes, defending employers against a wide range of employment claims, including discrimination and retaliation matters arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADEA, and unfair business competition and employee mobility claims, including breach of restrictive covenants. Mellori has leveraged her trial experience to litigate trade secret and breach of non-compete cases throughout the country, obtaining preliminary injunctions and monetary damages on behalf of clients.
Mellori also counsels employers on issues including discipline and termination of employees, harassment, reasonable accommodations, and investigations of employee misconduct. Mellori advises on labor and employment issues in the context of M&A transactions, assisting clients in mitigating employment-related risk during the diligence process.
In addition to her litigation practice, Mellori represents clients in government investigations and civil enforcement matters, including allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse. As a federal prosecutor, Mellori litigated affirmative and civil enforcement actions involving False Claims Act/qui tam whistleblower complaints and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and the Controlled Substances Act. Mellori regularly handled parallel civil and criminal investigations into alleged defrauding of federal programs and worked closely with a variety of federal and state law enforcement agencies, including: the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United Sates Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and a number of state attorneys general offices and Medicaid Fraud Control Units. For her efforts at DOJ, Mellori received a Special Commendation for superior work in an investigation from the Assistant Attorney General and an award for Superior Performance in Parallel Proceedings from the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
Mellori uses her prior government and trial experience to assist clients across various sectors – including health care, technology, and higher education – in building and implementing compliance policies and procedures with the goal of diminishing risk related to statutory whistleblower provisions and participation in federal and state government programs.
Concentrations
- Employment litigation
- Trade secrets
- Discrimination and retaliation
- Internal investigations and compliance
- False Claims Act and Qui Tam defense
- Health care enforcement defense
- Health care fraud and abuse
- Government investigations
- Commercial litigation
Capabilities
Experience
- Obtained decertification of collective action brought under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act on behalf of one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia.
- Achieved summary judgment in multiple suits under the Family and Medical Leave Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- Obtained preliminary injunction in action for breach of non-competition and non-solicitation covenants and misappropriation of trade secrets.
- Counseled and provided strategic guidance on restrictive covenant enforcement in connection with purchase of health care company.
- Provided wage and hour counsel and advice in connection with M&A due diligence.
- Lead and managed highly sensitive investigations into workplace misconduct and provided recommendations regarding same.
- Received Special Commendation from Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General for $122 million False Claims Act settlement relating to medically unnecessary inpatient behavior health services and illegal kickbacks.°
- Obtained $14 million settlement related to medically unnecessary testing and illegal kickbacks under the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute. °
- Negotiated $625,000 civil resolution of False Claims Act complaint against pain management clinic to resolve allegations physician and clinic submitted improper claims to Medicare and TRICARE programs for evaluation and management services and medically unnecessary urine drug screening tests.°
- Obtained $950,000 individual settlement to resolve violations of the False Claims Act for causing false claims for durable medical equipment to be submitted to the Medicare and TRICARE programs.°
- Negotiated pharmacy’s surrender of DEA registration and $250,000 settlement to resolve allegations that pharmacy failed to keep proper records of the controlled substances that it purchased, maintained, and dispensed in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.°
°The above representations were handled by Ms. Lumpkin-Dawson prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
- Assistant U.S. Attorney and Civil Elder Justice Coordinator, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, 2018-2023
- Special Assistant District Attorney, South Georgia Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, Bainbridge, Georgia, July-August 2011; August-October 2012
Recognition & Leadership
- Recipient, U.S. Attorney’s Award for Superior Performance in Parallel Proceedings, 2022
- Recipient, On The Rise Award, Fulton County Daily Report Legal Awards, 2021
- Recipient, Special Commendation For Outstanding Service in the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice, 2020
- Team Member, The Daily Report’s "Georgia Labor & Employment Litigation Department of the Year," 2017
- Member, Georgia Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association
- Young Lawyer Leadership Program, 2014-2016
- Member, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA)
- Member, Department of Justice Association of Black Attorneys, 2021-2023
- President, Rosa Lee Spear Mission Circle at Ebenezer Baptist Church
- Member, Junior League of Atlanta, 2020-2023
- Member, East Point/College Park Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Credentials
-
J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), 2012
- Supervising Editor, California Law Review
- Articles Editor, Berkeley Journal of African-American Law & Policy
- B.S., Business Administration, summa cum laude, Florida A&M University, 2009
- Georgia
- Supreme Court of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit