C. Melissa Owen

Missy Owen always wanted to be a criminal defense lawyer. The daughter of Pittsburgh defense attorney John Knorr, Missy grew up with the practice of criminal law in her blood. Missy has practiced criminal law exclusively since moving to Charlotte in 2002, where she met Noell Tin and joined what was then his solo practice. Their legal partnership was the first brick laid in the building of Tin Fulton Walker & Owen.

Missy represents clients in state and federal courts across North Carolina, handling cases ranging from misdemeanors to homicides. Missy has particular expertise in white collar and sex offense cases, where she has represented clients in the pre-indictment phase, at trial, and on appeal. She also represents clients in regulatory proceedings involving the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).

In white collar matters, Missy’s keen ability to analyze and digest complex business arrangements and transactions enables her to quickly assess a client’s circumstances and provide immediate guidance. In sex offense matters, she regularly works with forensic experts and consultants to aggressively investigate allegations. As a consequence of her approach to these challenging cases, some of Missy’s clients are never ultimately prosecuted.

Missy is a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, serves on PTO Board at Saint Patrick Catholic School, and is an active member of the Dilworth Neighborhood Development Association. In 2013, Missy joined the board of the Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina, Inc.