Melissa A. Huelsman, P.S.

Melissa A. Huelsman is a Seattle-based attorney admitted to practice in California and Washington, and before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Washington, and the United States District Court for the Central District of California.  Her practice involves plaintiff’s civil litigation in the areas of predatory lending and mortgage loan servicing, fraud and foreclosure rescue scams.  She also practices in the United States Bankruptcy Court.  Ms. Huelsman is a member of King County Bar Association and participates in its Volunteer Legal Services Program by handling numerous predatory lending and foreclosure scam pro bono cases.  Ms. Huelsman was named KCBA’s Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in 2006 and was previously recognized by VLS as one of its Volunteers of the Year and has received a similar award from the Urban League of Seattle/Metropolitan King County.  Ms. Huelsman is Chairperson of the PLACE Subcommittee of the Seattle-King County Coalition for Responsible Lending and on the CENTS Bite of Bankruptcy Planning Committee.  She is also a proud member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. 

Ms. Huelsman has spoken on the issues of predatory lending and foreclosure rescue scams at numerous CLEs and Bar functions, including sessions for the National Consumer Law Center and NACA; for the Washington State Bar Association; Oregon State Bar Association; King County Bar Association; King County Housing Authority; the Urban League; Fremont Public Association; International District Housing Alliance; HomeSight and other community organizations.  She has also appeared in pieces about her clients involved in predatory lending and foreclosure rescue scams in an NCLC Report called Dreams Foreclosed, on several local television stations’ news programs, local radio and in the Seattle Times.  Ms. Huelsman also served previously on the Board for the King County Bar Bulletin and has written several articles for that publication.

Ms. Huelsman received her Bachelor’s Degree in English from California State University at Fullerton and her Juris Doctorate from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles.  During law school, Ms. Huelsman was the Managing Editor of The Commentator, President of The Criminal Law Society and received an award for her community service efforts. 

Bar Admissions

California - 1997 (currently inactive)
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California - 1997

Washington - 2001
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington - 2002
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington - 2004
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit - 2005

Education

Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, CA - 1997
Juris Doctorate
Managing Editor - The Commentator
Criminal Law Society, Founder and President
Community Service Award - 1997

University of California, Fullerton - 1993
B.A. - English

Honors and Awards

Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, King County Bar Association - 2006

Volunteer Attorney of the Year, King County Bar Association - 2003

Professional Associations and Memberships

CENTS (Consumer Education and Training Services) - 2006 to Present
Board Member

Seattle/King County Coalition for Responsible Lending - 2002-Present
PLACE Sub-Committee Chair

King County Bar Association

Classes/Seminars Taught

"Identify and Prevent Real Estate/Mortgage Fraud," Kinja Real Estate Education, November 2005

More coming soon

Articles Written

"A Brief Primer on Fighting Predatory Lending Practices", American Bar Association, 2005

"Consumer Law Clinic Formed at Seattle University", King County Bar Association, 2005

"Fraud for Lawyers and/or Fools", King County Bar Association, 2004

"Profile: Ivan Orton", King County Bar Association, 2003

Other Activities on Behalf of the Community

Testified before Washington State Legislature on Credit Insurance Issues - 2002-2003

Testified before Seattle City Council on Predatory Lending Issues and on Dangerous Dog Ordinance