Melanie provides pragmatic and experienced counsel to public and private companies in a broad range of matters, including initial public offerings and other capital market transactions, fallen angel reverse mergers, corporate governance, public company reporting, mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactional matters.
She regularly represents issuers and financing sources in the medical devices, life sciences and healthcare services industries.
Before joining Mintz, Melanie worked as a health care and science division legal associate for Thomson Reuters. In this position, she collaborated directly with data engineers and technology specialists in the design and implementation of solutions in response to the legislative and regulatory changes implemented by the Obama administration regarding health information exchanges, electronic medical records, and healthcare provider reporting and quality measures.
Experience
- Represented life sciences companies in initial public offerings
- Represented Evofem Biosciences, Inc. in its reverse merger with Neothetics, Inc.
- Represented Mateon Therapeutics, Inc. in its reverse merger with Oncotelic, Inc.
- Represented Dare Bioscience, Inc. in its reverse merger with Cerulean Pharma Inc.
- Represented MabVax Therapeutics, Inc. in its reverse merger with Telik, Inc.
- Represented software company in merger transaction with public company
- Represented medical device company in cross border asset acquisition transaction with a Fortune 500 company
- Represented medical device company in merger with Fortune 500 company
- Represented medical software company in sale to large public software company
- Represented professional services company in acquisition by private equity fund
- Represented real estate finance company in merger with private company
- Represented financial technology software company in multiple rounds of venture backed private placements
- Represented medical device company in multiple venture backed private placements
- Assisted numerous public life sciences companies in private and public follow on offerings
- Represented venture fund in transactions with private battery and technology companies
- Represented private semi-conductor company in multiple venture backed and private placement funding rounds
viewpoints
Preparation for 2023 Fiscal Year-End SEC Filings and 2024 Annual Shareholder Meetings
December 15, 2023 | Advisory | By John Condon, Anne Bruno, Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Jacob Hupart, Cynthia Larose, Breton Leone-Quick, Page R. Hubben, Ellen Shapiro
Public companies need to consider regulatory, legal, market, and ESG-related developments in preparing for their fiscal year-end filings with the SEC and their annual shareholder meetings. In an in-depth memorandum, Mintz attorneys discuss the SEC’s new cybersecurity disclosure rule, recent trends in reverse stock splits, and the SEC’s disclosure requirements for Rule 10b5-1 trading plans and insider trading policies, and other emerging issues affecting public companies.
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From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Special Edition - Lessons Learned from Silicon Valley Bank
April 24, 2023 | Podcast | By Stephen Osborn, Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Thomas Burton
In this special edition of the podcast, the team discusses lessons learned for board members from the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB).
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From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Session 7 - Down Rounds
December 16, 2022 | Podcast | By Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Stephen Osborn, Jeremy Glaser
In our seventh session, the team is joined by Jeremy Glaser, Co-chair of our Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice, to discuss what you need to know about down round financings – overview; perceptions, implications, and risks; and how a board can best prepare for a down round.
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Preparation for 2022 Fiscal Year-End SEC Filings and 2023 Annual Shareholder Meetings
December 7, 2022 | Advisory | By John Condon, Anne Bruno, Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Jacob Hupart, Cynthia Larose, Breton Leone-Quick, Page R. Hubben
From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Session 6 - Crises in the Boardroom
December 7, 2022 | Podcast | By Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Stephen Osborn, Jason Vigna
In our sixth session, the team is joined by Jason Vigna, a Member in our Securities Litigation Practice, to discuss best practices for handling crises in the boardroom — including identifying, documenting, discussing, managing, and disclosing material risks.
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From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Special Edition - Lessons from Theranos
November 29, 2022 | Podcast | By Thomas R. Burton, III, Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Stephen Osborn
With the conviction and 11-year sentence for former CEO Elizabeth Holmes, the team looks at the lessons to be learned from Theranos. The team discusses (1) the importance of open communication between board members and executives, (2) fostering a culture of compliance, and (3) tips for picking up on the early-warning signs.
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From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Session 5 - Employment Law
November 16, 2022 | Podcast | By Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Stephen Osborn, Jennifer Rubin
In our fifth session, which focuses on employment law, the team is joined by Jen Rubin, a bicoastal Member in our Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice and Chair of our ESG Practice, to discuss best practices related to hiring an executive (hint: consensus is key), managing the executive at the board level, and how to (amicably) negotiate to terminate an executive.
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From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Session 4 - ESG in the Boardroom
September 28, 2022 | Podcast | By Thomas Burton, Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Stephen Osborn
In our fourth session, “ESG in the Boardroom,” the team is joined by Kristyn Noeth, Of Counsel at Mintz, to discuss best practices related to and practical implementation of ESG concepts, as well as the impending Climate Disclosure Rule.
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From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Session 3 - Board Committees
September 21, 2022 | Podcast | By Thomas Burton, Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Stephen Osborn
In our third session, “Board Committees,” the team discusses the various types of committees, the role or purpose of committees, committee composition, ESG as it relates to committees, and board committee trends.
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From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Session 2 - Running an Effective Board Meeting
September 14, 2022 | Podcast | By Thomas Burton, Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Stephen Osborn
In our second session, “Running an Effective Board Meeting,” the team discusses key considerations for public and private companies in this critical area of governance.
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News & Press
Mintz is pleased to announce that 120 firm attorneys have been recognized as leaders by Best Lawyers® in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.
Mintz Debuts 'Femtech' Practice For Life Science Clients
March 9, 2023
Law360 featured the launch of the firm's Women's Health and Technology practice and highlighted founding Members Ellen Janos, Joanne Hawana, Karen Lovitch, and Melanie Levy.
Mintz Forms Pioneering Women’s Health & Technology Practice
March 09, 2023
BOSTON – Mintz has launched a Women’s Health and Technology practice, bringing together attorneys from across the firm’s transactional, intellectual property, health care and FDA regulatory, and litigation teams with a focus on serving clients in life sciences, specifically FemTech.
Mintz Announces Nine Newly Elevated Members
December 17, 2020
Mintz Represents Bio-Medical Devices, Inc. in Sale of SteriShield Manufacturing Operations to Stryker Corporation
September 19, 2016
Mintz lawyers represented Bio-Medical Devices, Inc. in the sale of a section of its manufacturing operations to Stryker Corporation, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies.
Mintz Represents Workterra in Sale to CareerBuilder
September 15, 2016
Attorneys from Mintz represented Workterra, a leading innovator in cloud-based benefits administration and talent management, in its sale to CareerBuilder. The purchase will significantly expand CareerBuilder’s product offering.
Events & Speaking
Recognition & Awards
Best Lawyers of America Ones to Watch - Corporate Law (2021 - 2024)
State Bar of California Wiley W. Manuel Award, Pro Bono Legal Services
San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program Distinguished Service Award
Order of the Coif
Recent Insights
Preparation for 2023 Fiscal Year-End SEC Filings and 2024 Annual Shareholder Meetings
December 15, 2023| Advisory|
Mintz is pleased to announce that 120 firm attorneys have been recognized as leaders by Best Lawyers® in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.
From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Special Edition - Lessons Learned from Silicon Valley Bank
April 24, 2023| Podcast|
