Melissa Adamson

Melissa Adamson is an attorney on the National Center for Youth Law’s Immigration and Legal Advocacy teams. Melissa works on federal and state policy advocacy on behalf of immigrant children detained in federal custody and living in the community. She also represents the nationwide classes of detained immigrant children in the Flores, Lucas R., and Duchitanga cases.

Before joining the National Center for Youth Law, Melissa provided direct legal representation to youth through the Education, Defense and Justice for Youth Clinic at the East Bay Community Law Center and interned at Legal Services for Children and Bay Area Legal Aid. Melissa received her law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law and a bachelor’s from Tufts University. Prior to law school, she worked with children living with serious illnesses and disabilities in hospital and community settings in California, Missouri, and Botswana. 

While she is a proud New Englander at heart, Melissa has enjoyed living in sunny California for more than 10 years. She enjoys quilting, making her family and friends laugh, and continuing her undefeated streak as champion of the National Center for Youth Law's annual Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contest.