Melvin N.A. Avanzado
The Avanzado Law Firm, APLC
BIG FIRM EXPERIENCE…SMALL FIRM SERVICE®
Melvin N.A. Avanzado is the principal of The Avanzado Law Firm, APLC. Mel is a trial lawyer and outside general counsel, representing clients in complex matters in entertainment, media, intellectual property, sports and employment. Mel has extensive experience practicing with big law firms but now practices in his own small firm so he has the ability to provide personalized service to his clients.
Mel is extensively involved in his community. Mel is active with numerous non-profit organizations, serving as general counsel to the Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles and the UCLA Alumni Association as well as the Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine American Bar Association Foundation. Mel also serves on the Los Angeles County Bar Association Judicial Appointments Committee and informally counsels lawyers with judicial aspirations.
Mel earned his Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1988. Mel received his Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1984. Mel is an avid dog lover and accomplished musician, playing violin and drums.
- University of California - Los Angeles
- B.S. | Microbiology
- University of Notre Dame
- J.D.
- Honors: cum laude
- Principal
- The Avanzado Law Firm, APLC
- - Current
- Partner
- Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro LLP
- -
- Founding Partner
- White O'Connor Curry & Avanzado
- -
- Associate
- Christensen White Miller Fink Jacobs Glaser & Shapiro
- -
- Associate
- Latham & Watkins LLP
- -
- Minority Business Enterprise
- The Suppliers' Clearinghouse
- Entertainment & Sports, Intellectual Property Litigation, Business Litigation
- Southern California Super Lawyers
- Lawyer Advocate of the Year
- Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGi)
- Friends of the Chinese American Museum
- General Counsel
- - Current
- Apl.de.Ap Foundation International
- Executive Committee
- - Current
- Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles
- Lifetime Member
- - Current
- LACBA, Judicial Appointments Committee
- Member
- - Current
- Philippine American Bar Association
- Lifetime Member, Board of Governors (2005-13)
- - Current
- California
- 9th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Business Law
- Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
- Entertainment & Sports Law
- Intellectual Property
- Employment Law
- Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, ERISA, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
- General Civil
- Media & First Amendment
- Filipino: Spoken