Senior Litigation Attorney
Melinda S. Johnson enjoys the diversity and complexity of family law issues.
“No case is ever the same, and therefore, provides new challenges on a daily basis,” Ms. Johnson said.
As a goal-oriented and detailed practitioner, Ms. Johnson’s preparedness puts her clients at ease when facing a seemingly daunting process.
“I prepare a plan of attack with the client then lay a foundation of realistic goals and a map of how to achieve them,” she said.
Ms. Johnson is licensed to practice law in Ohio and Florida.
Ms. Johnson received her A.A.S. from Owens Community College, her bachelor’s degree from Point Park University, and her Juris Doctor from Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law.
Prior to joining Cordell & Cordell, Ms. Johnson primarily practiced family, bankruptcy, and juvenile law.
Ms. Johnson is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and Allen County Bar Association.
Ms. Johnson was recognized as a 2018 Ohio Rising Star in the family law practice area by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters rating service of outstanding lawyers.
In 2017, Ms. Johnson was named to The National Advocates Executive Committee Top 40 Under 40 list. The list is a professional organization comprised of America’s top young attorneys who take pride in guiding individuals and families that need an advocate on their side in the American legal system.
Watch Ms. Johnson’s lecture with Jason Hopper from Cordell & Cordell’s 2015 Continuing Legal Education seminar on “Preparing Your Client For Third Party Neutrals.”
“I think Melinda has managed me and the case very well. She has taken a lot of information I have given her and understands the dynamics. She is always working for my best interests. I feel very confident here. I feel very good about the firm. … I think the firm really understands the system and how men are damaged in the eyes of the system.”
“Melinda has communicated with me everything I need to know and what to expect. Melinda does not hold anything back and even gives me the worst case scenario. Melinda has been more than prepared and had everything ready. I feel very comfortable with Melinda, and I know she is going to do what is best for me. I trust her opinion.”
“Melinda was perfect! I was very, very happy with the performance. Melinda was fantastic. The firm was great and very precise. … “
“Melinda is … a go-getter, spunky, and really knows her stuff. … She throws out a lot of options and gives me the choice. I’ve used Melinda a few times now and really enjoy working with her. I’ve referred many people to Melinda!”
“Melinda has been fantastic. She takes a few seconds to answer non-case specific things. She has been really great. I don’t think I’ve ever asked her a question that she doesn’t know the answer to. Melinda is very good at explaining things to me. We have a good relationship as far as client/lawyer goes which helps a lot and makes me comfortable. Melinda understands when we need to be aggressive and has done her best to move things along in my case. “
”Melinda is just awesome! She knows all her stuff. If I ever have any legal issues I am definitely going to have her work on my case.”
“Melinda has done exactly what I wanted her to do. I haven’t had to fuss with her. Melinda has been great! … I did my shopping before I found Cordell & Cordell. Their attitude towards me has been that they have wanted to help fix my problem and they have done this. I’m very satisfied!”
“I thought Melinda did real good. I like her honesty. She doesn’t sugarcoat things and tells me exactly what is going to happen. I’m more than happy with her.”
“I first started working with your office over a year ago. I was really lucky to meet Melinda. She has been really interested and cared about my case. What she has done for me and my family, I could never repay her or Cordell & Cordell. She was a godsend when my family needed her the most. …”
“Melinda and Cordell & Cordell did awesome with me! I would do it again tomorrow and twice on Sunday. I can’t put a price tag on the work Melinda did. She would return calls at 9pm at night. She was outstanding and had a great way of calming me down. She knows how much my little girl means to me. … She understood my situation. I would pay her triple her hourly rate! She is extremely personable, down to earth, real, [and] honest. I appreciated her honesty and when she would be blunt with me. She is a solid attorney! I would open my families home to her and consider her a friend now. Cordell & Cordell is lucky to have her!”
“[Ms. Johnson] is a knowledgeable and professional attorney. I value her counsel. And she’s very friendly and courteous. She explains the reasons behind the best course of action.”
“Melinda is very attentive and punctual. She is an excellent communicator. Melinda is a strong leader and wonderful counselor!”
“Melinda has been absolutely amazing! I honestly don’t know how to verbalize how well she has done. I am beyond satisfied and thrilled with the amount of work she has done in all this.”
“I told Melinda my needs during the process and she did a good job keeping me informed and up to speed. There were never really any surprises, and when you’re juggling that kind of situation while trying to keep up with everyday life [that is] really nice. I have a lot of appreciation for her.”
“Melinda is fantastic! She is on top of the ball! She always returns calls very promptly, and I never had to wait for information. She always went above and beyond helping me with my case. I feel like she took a personal interest. I just can’t say enough about her. She is nothing shy of fantastic.”
“Melinda managed the case well. She got to know me; she knew the court and the opposing attorney. She was always well prepared. I feel she gave me good advice and cared about the result. Hearing from others who have gone through a divorce and seeing what my now ex-wife endured with her attorney made me appreciate Melinda and the well-defined processes (billing, communication) and support information (DadsDivorce.com) that Cordell & Cordell provided me during and after my divorce.”
“I could go on and on about Melinda, but I’ll keep it short. She is very caring. She is very professional. She is very efficient. She responds very quickly to my needs. She has given me options, direction and properly supervises my actions. I really like that she is so familiar with my county, even though it isn’t where she resides.”
“Melinda has been awesome. She always gets back with you and returns calls pretty quick actually. She’s really on top of it. My parents have helped fund this for me and they’ve also been pleased. The service is really good. … The good thing about her is you feel like she cares; she is a good listener. I’ve been real impressed with her.”
“Oh, Melinda has been great for me! I’m very happy to have her. She’s just excellent in every way and I would recommend her to anyone.”
“Melinda was very thorough and kept me up to date on everything. I was very happy with the work. She went above and beyond and I was very impressed. This was a great experience.”
“Melinda’s turn around on everything was exceptional, accurate, and professional. She made this process as best as it could be …”
“Melinda is phenomenal. … She was great, just an overall awesome attorney. She communicates very well and is always well prepared. She is definitely proactive vs. reactive. It was as if she was always thinking ahead. This is such a benefit. She is also very direct. She didn’t promise me things she couldn’t follow through on. I could tell she cared enough not to let me waste my time or money chasing something unrealistic.”
“Melinda was pleasant, straight to the point and followed through on everything she said she would. She was a pleasure to work with. I’ve already referred Melinda to some of my co-workers.”
“Any time, day or night, Melinda always gets back immediately. There have been times I’ve had certain concerns where a phone call would be warranted and she’s gone out of her way to pick up the pone, even while on vacation. I wouldn’t want to work with anyone else. Melinda is the reason I’m with Cordell. I’m completely happy with her.”
“Melinda has been exceptional in all areas to include a very pleasant personality, which always helps at a time like this. She is very professional and personable, which helps take the cold formality out of such a stressful event while still providing excellent representation. My daughter will be 4 years old next month and is having difficulties with the divorce. Having the information/reference links has been a blessing.”
“Melinda has been very responsive to everything I’ve asked, and [I have been] given very good advice. Melinda has been very accurate. The quality of her representation has been very strong. Melinda and the firm have stood out from the very beginning. The initial welcome packet left me feeling that the firm has a really good understanding of challenges I may face. I have never questioned Melinda’s commitment or the firms’ on seeing this through. Ultimately, I’m confident already that we will reach an agreement that’s both respectable and fair. …”
“I could talk all day about how great Melinda is. She’s punctual, caring, sensitive and patient with me and my struggles and needs. This has been very painful personally, but she’s really helped me with her counseling. She’s unbelievably awesome! There are just no words to explain how wonderful she’s been. She’s really put her whole heart into taking care of me.”
“Melinda is fantastic! If it wasn’t for her, nothing would have happened. … Melinda kept everything together. Her expert work and preparation kept everything going.”
“I absolutely love working with Melinda. She’s taken the time to get to know me and knows what I need from her. Melinda keeps me updated and always gets back to me right away, sometimes within minutes! She’s extremely responsive! She is just overall amazing!”
“Melinda is very thorough. I have a business degree and have met some very intelligent peers; Melinda may be one of the best yet! She is excellent with accounting and business psychology. She is professional in every sense of the word. She takes her time and really understands her clients. She works very hard. Everything you all say and advertise has absolutely come true with Melinda. She presents the highest quality I could ask for! She is top notch, the best of the best! She is one of your top attorneys! …Melinda gets straight A’s in my book!”
“… She’s the reason I came to Cordell & Cordell. Melinda is very good about getting back to me! She will even get back to me after business hours. I know that Melinda has my back; I fully trust her. …”
“Melinda is amazing, very attentive and knowledgeable, I’ve referred others to Melinda because we trust her so very much. She has already closed one divorce case for one person I referred, and he too was incredibly happy with her and thanked me for referring her. Everything Melinda is doing is fantastic. She is patient, informative, … and doesn’t treat us like another case, but like a family who is dramatically impacted. I’ve referred others to her, [and] they too are so satisfied and thrilled with her abilities! …”
“Melinda has been extremely helpful. My case is very complex, and she always helps me navigate making educated decisions. She is very responsive, which I find incredibly helpful! Melinda packages our correspondence very well. I find this really limits me from being overwhelmed by the information and terminology. I have already recommended Melinda …”
“Melinda is exceptional as an attorney and as a person. She has made a grueling process tolerable with her expertise and support. I hold her in the highest regards.”
“Melinda is absolutely amazing! She always goes above and beyond what’s expected of her! If I reach out, she almost always replies immediately; sometimes within minutes. She’s great! I just love her! I have been with her for years and have referred her to many people! I’m lucky to have found her. She is fantastic!”
“Melinda is just perfect! She is impressively responsive! She has gotten back to me on weekends, holidays and once when I believe she was out of the country! I couldn’t be more pleased with my experience.”
“It was seriously ridiculous how in-tune Melinda was with my case! I couldn’t have asked for more. I am heartbroken that there was a conflict and she had to remove herself [from] my case. It was an amazing experience working with her. Melinda is absolutely wonderful! She truly became part of our family. She is just such an amazing person. She is so transparent and honest, even [if] the truth was hard to hear. Melinda has a difficult job and does her best to prepare us to the best of her ability. She is fantastic. Cordell & Cordell is a phenomenal firm! I can’t say enough good things about Cordell & Cordell and Melinda. My heart was left with Cordell & Cordell and Melinda. I have referred several friends that I know will be well taken care of. Thank you for such a great experience!”
“My experience with Cordell & Cordell, specifically Melinda, far exceeded my expectations. The representation was without a doubt focused on me, the client, not billing hours. The service far exceeded that which I have experienced from any other service provider. This positive experience extends from Melinda’s office to those I never met responding to billing inquiries and customer care service. Even after my case was closed I received a bill from the court, and when I sent Melinda a text over the weekend she actually responded saying she would address it on Monday, which she did. Simply wonderful service. Thank you.”
“Melinda has just been seriously amazing! She has been very timely as far as responding to my needs. She has been very kind and professional. I am truly blessed to know her both as a person as well as my attorney. Melinda represents exactly what the firm advertises. She truly advocates for fathers. She is just fantastic!”
“Melinda is amazing! She is demanding, but it’s for your best benefit. … She’s very good at what she does. Melinda never forgets the details of the case. “
“Melinda is outstanding! I could never have gotten through the financial aspect of this all, the emotional struggle, or most importantly, the legal aspect without her advice or willingness to fight for myself and my children. I will forever be grateful! There are no words to express what she’s done for me.”
*Check out more Cordell & Cordell reviews of Melinda and the rest of our Ohio attorneys.
