Free Consultation
$0 first 15 minutes
My law partner Madeline Houston and I represent consumers across New Jersey in cases involving consumer fraud by automobile dealers, finance entities, landlords, wedding venues and other types of businesses; predatory lending; mortgage servicing abuse, and violations of federal and state consumer protection laws. While we are located in Essex County, we use a combination of telephone conferences, Zoom conferences and e-mail communications, as well as face to face meetings, to obtain the information we need to make informed decisions about a case. We accomodate clients from all counties, and appear in courts throughout the state of New Jersey, state and federal.
1
Practice Area
32 years
Free Consultation
$0 first 15 minutes
Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.
Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.
Chat withState: New Jersey
Acquired: 1993
No misconduct found
277 Fairfield Rd Suite 200, Fairfield, NJ, 07004
2 Client Reviews
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | General Knowledge
Posted by anonymous | December 09, 2013 | Lawsuits & Disputes
The best lawyer ever!!!
When I first got to Melissa's office and explained my situation to her the firs thing she said was "it sounds like you have a case" She wasted no time, she pulled out her pen and pad started asking me questions, writing notes and wanted any and all evidence that I had with me at the time. Not only di...
"Melissa Totaro is an exceptional attorney who is highly experienced in consumer-related matters. I endorse her wholeheartedly."
"I strongly endorse these lawyers. Madeline and Melissa are outstanding attorneys committed to helping the consumers of New Jersey. They are experienced, knowledgeable, and ethical. I have worked with them on several cases and they always get the best possible results for their clients. You will not find better advocates. Patricia M. Timlen, Esq. Northeast New Jersey Legal Services"
"Melissa is a solid committed consumer attorney. Together with her partner, Melissa has litigated several important cases which resulted in reported decisions which have advanced the law for all consumers. Melissa is thorough and smart -- just what you want in a lawyer!"
Appeals lawyer
Litigation lawyer
1999 - Present
Partner, Houston & Totaro
1994 - 1998
Staff Attorney - Consumer Law Unit, Passaic County Legal Aid Society
1993 - 1994
Judicial Law Clerk, NJ Superior Court
2002 - Present
National Association of Consumer AdvocatesMember
Plaintiff-tenant prevailed on motion
New Jersey Supreme Court held in accord with arguments in amicus brief
Insured prevailed on appeal
Homeowners and class prevailed on motion
Homeowners prevailed on appeal
1993
JD - Juris Doctor
1988
BA - Bachelor of Arts
English
Legal Answers
Do I have legal ground to sue Valley National Bank for knowingly and falsely reporting a charge off on a satisfied loan?
09 Aug 2025
How do I pursue this case as civil or criminal ? It seems likely that dealership employs this tactic on a regular basis.
17 Jun 2025
How can I go about proceeding legal action over misrepresentation regarding a dealership?
23 May 2025