Attorney Profiles

Melissa Lenhard

Experience:

As a lawyer with over 15 years of experience, Melissa Lenhard has the knowledge and experience to help her clients succeed in the business world. After graduating from Villanova University School of Law, Melissa gained experience working at transactional law practices. Working with small businesses and entrepreneurs led Melissa to find a niche in franchising law.

Focus:

Nobody loves drafting and negotiating a lease more than Melissa. It’s more than just getting the best deal for her clients in a lease agreement. Melissa also wants to ensure she keeps the peace between the landlord and the client because that’s a relationship that could continue for decades into the future.

Proud Moment:

Melissa once worked with a café franchisor and a landlord through a fairly contentious lease agreement. Once the agreement was complete, Melissa accepted an invitation to the grand opening of the café, which was 200 miles away. It was the first time she was meeting the client face-to-face. Melissa was welcomed to the opening as if she was family, and by the end of the celebration, even the landlord gave her a hug!

Approach:

Melissa’s primary focus is to educate her clients and make sure they fully understand all of the documents they sign. Each client is completely different—some come with tons of business experience and others have none—but she treats each client equally. This might include sorting through a 300+ page document to make sure her client knows exactly what is expected of them and what they can expect in return. She prepares clients for the future of their business venture.

You may find Melissa acing it in the office or on the tennis court. She also enjoys traveling with her family. Last summer she took a 13,000-mile road trip across the country with her kids!