CLAIRE MELEHANI

Partner

2026 President of the Santa Clara County Bar Association

Claire is a skilled trial attorney; for the last five years, Claire was named a Super Lawyer’s Rising Star, an award conferred upon the top 2.5% of rising attorneys in California, and was named one of the Top Women Attorneys in Northern California. In 2023, she was named one of the Top 40 Young Lawyers by the American Bar Association.

650-383-1266

claire@mclellanlawgroup.com

Woman with blonde hair sits in pink chair, arms crossed. She wears a light gray dress in a modern, bright setting.

ABOUT CLAIRE

Blonde woman with crossed arms in grey dress smiles confidently outside a building.

HONORS

2021-2024 Super Lawyer’s Rising Star, Northern California (Civil Litigation – Plaintiffs’ Side) – Rising Star awards are conferred upon the top 2.5% of rising attorneys in California. Honorees are selected via peer reviews and an independent research process that judges candidates based on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement.

2021-2024 Top Women Attorneys in Northern California (Rising Star in Civil Litigation) - Claire was included in the list of top women attorneys published in San Francisco Magazine’s December 2021 and December 2022 issues.

2023 Unsung Heroes Award Recipient – Unsung Heroes is an annual celebration of Santa Clara County Bar Association’s and Bar Foundation’s dedicated volunteers. Claire was selected as the Barristers Section’s Volunteer of the Year.

2023 “On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers” Award from the American Bar Association – The ABA’s “On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers” Award program provides national recognition of American Bar Association members who exemplify a broad range of high achievement, innovation, vision, leadership, and service to the profession and their communities.
BAR ADMISSIONS

• California
• United States District Court for the Northern District of California
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
EDUCATION

• University of North Carolina School of Law (Chapel Hill), J.D. (2018)
• Duke University, Certificate in Nonprofit Management (2015)
• Duke University, B.S. in Economics (2014)
• Duke University, Certificate in Markets and Management (2014)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Santa Clara County Bar Association
• San Mateo County Bar Association
• Monterey County Bar Association
• American Bar Association (ABA)
• California Lawyers Association (CLA)
• California Women Lawyers (CWL)
• American Inns of Court
SELECT PUBLICATIONS

“Law In The Age of Covid-19: Depose Your Own Witness To Preserve Their Testimony” – This article was reprinted in the Practicing Law Institute’s 2021 coursebook for trial attorneys.

“Seven Tips for Success When Joining an All-Male Law Firm” – Claire shared her tips for succeeding as a trial attorney with Her Legal Global – a blog dedicated to empowering women in law with actionable information.

“Maintaining Client Trust” – Claire shared her advice to help other lawyers maintain client trust during lengthy legal battles.

“11 Essential Tips for New Business Owners on Handling Employee Conflict” – Claire shared her employment law-related tips for entrepreneurs. She suggested having written policies for how to deal with employee conflict and documenting all steps the company takes to handle the issue. This will create a record and help protect your company in the event of litigation.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITES

California Women Lawyers (“CWL”) Board of Governors– Claire was a member of the Board of Governors and the Executive Committee from 2023-2024, helping guide the organization in its efforts to promote the advancement of women in the legal profession and advocate for women’s interests more generally.

Santa Clara County Bar Association (“SCCBA”) Board of Trustees – As a Trustee, Claire helps govern the SCCBA, which is a tax-exempt 501(c)6 organization. Trustees are also charged with fiscal stewardship of the organization. Claire was elected for a two-year term beginning in 2023, and she previously served as the Barristers’ delegate to the Board.

Santa Clara County Bar Association (“SCCBA”) Barristers Former President – Claire formerly served the Barristers as President (2022) and Vice President (2021). The Barristers is a section of the county bar association dedicated to helping young attorneys give back to the community, form meaningful connections with bar association members, and excel in the profession.

Santa Clara County Bar Association (“SCCBA”) Women Lawyers Section Former Co-chair – Claire previously served on the Executive Committee of the Women Lawyers Section, which she co-chaired from 2023-2024. Claire helped oversee and implement events, advancing the Section’s mission to support and advance women lawyers and judges and to address legal issues affecting women.

Santa Clara County Bar Association (“SCCBA”) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee – Claire serves on the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee to support the efforts of diverse persons in entering the legal profession and thriving in their practices within Santa Clara County.

American Inns of Court, Member of the Honorable William A. Ingram Inn – As a member of the Ingram Inn, Claire works to bolster the legal profession’s ethics, civility, and dedication to excellence through monthly mentoring, educational programs, and networking. The Inn’s members, including esteemed judges, meet for educational training and networking.

2021-2022 American Bar Association (“ABA”) Young Lawyers’ Division (“YLD”) Affiliates Team Member – Claire worked to plan and execute leadership programming.

2021 American Bar Association (“ABA”) Assembly Delegate – Claire was a Delegate to ABA Young Lawyers’ Division (YLD) Assembly, where she voted on Resolutions drafted by ABA YLD members seeking to improve the profession. Resolutions that pass become ABA YLD policy and are sent to the ABA House of Delegates.

Elevate Community Center Volunteer– As a volunteer attorney, Claire helps represent clients who cannot afford traditionally priced lawyers, but whose income makes them ineligible for legal aid centers’ assistance. As a volunteer attorney, Claire helps supervises law student interns and externs, teaching them how to prepare cases for trial and try cases.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• Moderator, “Dobbs v. Whole Woman’s Health Discussion Panel” – American Constitution Society chapters at Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa and NC Central Univ. Schools of Law, and Richardson Law’s Black Law Students Association (October 2022)

• Moderator, “Unprecedented: Navigating Legal and Health Issues in a Post-Dobbs World” – Santa Clara County Bar Association (July 2022)

• Panelist, “Strategies for Developing a Legacy of Values and Finances” – Lockheed Martin’s Business Resource Group, Black Excellence Council (B.E.C) (February 2022)

• Speaker, “Social Media for Lawyers: Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls” – Barristers Bootcamp (February 2022)

• Panelist, “Finding that First Job and Setting Yourself Up for Success” – The North Carolina Bar Association’s YLD Law Student Outreach Committee, in partnership with the University of North Carolina School of Law (September 2021)

Claire Melehani is a founding partner at McLellan Law Group, LLP and a civil trial attorney focused on complex litigation for high-net-worth individuals, executives, and companies throughout California. Her practice spans business and commercial disputes, trust and estate litigation, employment law, and real estate litigation, with significant depth in matters involving financial elder abuse.

Before co-founding McLellan Law Group, Claire spent nearly four years as a trial and appellate attorney at Gates Eisenhart Dawson, a Silicon Valley boutique firm handling high-conflict civil proceedings for high-net-worth clients. Prior to that, she represented clients in complex, contested divorce and asset division matters at a prominent Bay Area family law firm — experience that sharpened her instincts for high-stakes negotiations and the particular demands of sophisticated clientele.

Claire's litigation practice is distinguished by uncommon financial fluency. Her background as an investment banking analyst at a global investment bank gives her command of financial analysis, valuation, and business strategy that directly informs her courtroom approach and the practical counsel she provides to executives and entrepreneurs navigating contentious disputes.

A recognized leader in the California legal community, Claire currently serves as President of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, having previously served as Treasurer, Secretary, and elected Trustee. Claire has also served on the Board of Governors of California Women Lawyers. She was named to the American Bar Association's "On The Rise — Top 40 Young Lawyers" class of 2023, has been selected as a California Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2021, and has been recognized as a Top Women Attorney in Northern California by San Francisco Magazine. Claire is admitted to practice in all California state courts, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Outside the courtroom, Claire maintains an active pro bono practice, mentors students in the legal community, and publishes Legally Speaking, a weekly newsletter on California law.