Douglas C Melcher

Doug Melcher is a licensed attorney who has more than fifteen years of experience in the private practice of law. He focuses his practice on advising and representing individuals, small businesses, and non-profits in matters involving civil litigation in Washington, DC.

Doug advises and represents clients in a wide range of matters, including disputes concerning business relationships, real estate, and commercial transactions involving individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, for-profit and non-profit corporations, and citizens associations. He represents clients in trial court proceedings, appeals, administrative hearings, mediation, and arbitration.

Doug has written extensively about the laws of the District of Columbia, including for his blog, currently known as D.C. Law Blog. He is also the author of Tort Claims and Defenses in the District of Columbia, which is a handbook for lawyers who need detailed technical information about the laws of the District of Columbia applicable to civil claims for assault, battery, false imprisonment / false arrest, conversion, trespass to chattel, trespass to realty, negligence (including employer negligence, legal malpractice, medical malpractice, motor vehicle negligence, premises liability, and other cases), strict liability for defective products, defamation (libel and slander), injurious falsehood, invasion of privacy, fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, spoliation of evidence, loss of consortium, and other torts as well as a wide range of defenses.

Doug earned his law degree, with high honors, from The George Washington University Law School where he served as a member and editor of The George Washington Law Review. Prior to attending law school, he earned a bachelor of science degree from Syracuse University, and a master of science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Doug is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and, as such, is authorized to represent individuals and entities in proceedings before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and agencies of the District of Columbia such as the District of Columbia Office of Administrative Hearings. He is also authorized to represent individuals and entities in various federal courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Doug also has been admitted pro hac vice to litigate individual cases in courts throughout the country.

Doug is proficient in Spanish and has lived in Guatemala and Peru. He currently reside in the District of Columbia.