Meet Melissa Green | Attorney and Philanthropist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Green and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have two businesses – a for profit law firm and a non-profit scholarship foundation.

For the non-profit (The MGAM Scholarship Foundation), my thought process came a few days after the world erupted in protests over the death of George Floyd, I was sitting outside of my apartment building in downtown Chicago trying to wrap my head around what was going on across the country. As I sat in “my spot” and listened to the sounds of the city, I heard lots of shuffling footsteps. I stood up and walked towards the street, and that was when I saw lines of Chicago Police Officers dressed in riot gear heading towards the Magnificent Mile/Michigan Ave. Witnessing that scene, I felt my entire spirit break, and I broke down in tears. The next day I met a friend at a park to talk through my thoughts. The following day, May 31, 2020, still numb and exhausted, I made the decision that I needed to do something – that I needed to be a change agent. I decided to contribute something that touched on at least two of my passions – education and mentoring young people. That is when the idea for creating a scholarship foundation was born.

For the for-profit law firm, I was feeling uninspired in my current role in summer of 2021. I decided to work with a career coach. In working with her, I was inspired to start my own law as a part time side business to be able to support friends, family, solopreneurs and small businesses that needed contract drafting and reviews. In October 2021, my general counsel told me he was resigning. Having joined the organization to work with him, I said “you go, then I go.” I started looking around at other jobs and submitting applications. I went far in two interviews but did not get the roles. As I continued to apply for jobs, I realized that I was applying to apply and not because the role or the organization was appealing to me. It was then that I started thinking why not take the part time side business I had been working to set up and turn it into my full-time business. I was still hesitant to take the plunge, but after a conversation with a colleague that was also leaving the organization who asked, “When are you going to have this type of opportunity again to take a risk?” With those words, the last bit of hesitation I was feeling left my body, and I decided that I would do my law firm full time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started my career as most attorneys do – working in a firm. I knew from the beginning that I didn’t want to work in a large law firm in New York, LA, or Chicago. Integration between my personal life and professional life has always been important to me (since I also coach gymnastics) and I knew I wouldn’t get that integration in a big law firm in a big city. So I decided I wanted a regional firm in a middle market. I spent the summer of my 2L year at a firm in Cincinnati, Ohio and joined the firm after I graduated from law school. As a young lawyer, I had to follow the direction of the partners even when it came to things I did not understand or that I thought were outdated. But I was lucky to get a secondment to my first in-house role when I was just a second year. The secondment is what started the trajectory of my professional career and made me the attorney that I am today. Nothing worth having is ever easy. And I don’t like easy! I’m a former elite athlete…easy is boring! It is difficult to say how I overcame my challenges because each challenge is different. For my first challenge, I overcame it by remembering that I do not stay in spaces where I am not appreciated or respected. For my next challenge, I leveraged my network to find my next opportunity when I left my first in-house role. Along the way I have learned to keep trusting my instincts, to never live outside of my means so that I am not forced to remain in a job that is no longer good for my growth because my I have to fund my lifestyle, and I have learned that not everyone wants to be the head of a department or firm and that is it perfectly okay to be an individual contributor.

My brand is my authentic and energetic personality, There will always be people that “out work” me, but you won’t outshine me! I am not built for everyone and that is okay. But I am the perfect fit for some or most, and that is all that I need.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the things that I love the most about Chicago when I have guests during warm months is taking them on a boat architectural tour. They are an absolutely amazing way to see the city. I will do it every time I have a visitor! If I was giving a first-time visitor an itinerary, here’s what I would recommend:

1. Museum Campus: The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium
2. The Loop: Art Institute of Chicago, Skydeck Chicago, Millennium Park
3. Lincoln Park: Lincoln Park Zoo & Rides, Chicago History Museum
4. Navy Pier: Navy Pier Centennial Wheel and Rides, Architecture River Cruise, Classic Lake Tour
5. Neighborhoods: River North; South Lake Shore/Hyde Park;
6. Pizza: Lou Malnati’s and Peqouds (no deep dish!)
7. Steakhouses: Prime and Provisions; Chicago Chop; Swift and Sons; Steak 48
8. Seafood: Catch 35
9. See a show! Broadway in Chicago or an Opera at The Lyric Operahouse
10. Take a walk on the Riverwalk or walk the Lakeshore Trail

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There is a long list of people that deserve a shoutout for their support, encouragement, mentorship, and love. First and foremost are my parents, David and Evelyn Green, and my sister Alysia Green. I would not be the person I am, or where I am in my life without their love and support. Second are my mentors and the individuals on my personal board of directors. They are my sounding board for most of my life changing professional decisions. Lastly, Chuck Williams and Brian Vandenberg. These two men provided me with advice, and gave me the space I needed to be my true authentic self which lead me to becoming the leader and advocate that I am today.

Website: www.mdglawvirtual.com

Instagram: @mdglawvirtual

Linkedin: linkenin.com/in/melissa-green-esq-cpc