New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 1
Melissa Leigh Lawton
Fordham alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 2000, registered office in Santa Monica, CA. Decades of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 2000
- Admitted
- 26
- Years in bar
- 3043783
- NY reg #
The record in one line
With 26 years on the register since a 2000 admission, Melissa Leigh Lawton ranks among the New York bar's most senior active practitioners, longer-tenured than 62% of the currently-active bar.
- 26 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #94 of 309
- by tenure in Santa Monica office peers
- Law school
- Fordham
Data updated September 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
Registration 3043783 with the New York bar authority has long belonged to Melissa Leigh Lawton, a veteran practitioner still in active good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 1, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under Fenwick & West LLP, located in Santa Monica, CA, ZIP 90401. 5 other attorneys share this firm affiliation in the registry. Educational background: FORDHAM.
State context & due diligence
After 26 years on the register, Melissa Leigh Lawton still falls within the New York bar's active cohort, a share of the register detailed further below.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
Few active New York attorneys match Melissa Leigh Lawton's 26 years since admission in 2000.
26 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
26 Top 38% higher than 62% of 290,787 active NY attorneys
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more active NY attorneys. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · September 2026
Tenure among Santa Monica, CA office peers
Most of the 309 NY-registered attorneys in Santa Monica, CA outrank Melissa Leigh Lawton on tenure; this record sits at the 30th local percentile (rank #94). See the Santa Monica attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #94
- City cohort
- 309
- Local percentile
- 30th
- Admitted
- 2000
Nearest tenure peers in Santa Monica
- Martha Braithwaite admitted 2000 · 26 yr
- Marc D. Cimino admitted 2000 · 26 yr
- David Michael Harvilicz admitted 2000 · 26 yr
- Anthony Albert Liberatore admitted 2000 · 26 yr
How local rank is computed
Rank uses years since NY-bar admission among non-deceased registry rows that list the same office city and state, a local placement, not a statewide claim. Source: NY Office of Court Administration Attorney Registration · as of September 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How Melissa compares to fellow Fordham alumni
Among the 2,676 Fordham graduates in the New York register, Melissa Leigh Lawton is longer-tenured than 38%.
26 years vs. Fordham alumni
Years since admission - 2,676 NY-registered alumni of this school
26 Top 62% higher than 38% of 2,676 fellow alumni
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more fellow alumni. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · September 2026
The 2000 admission class today
Of the 7,585 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 2000, 63.8% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 3043783
- Year Admitted
- 2000 (26 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 1
- Next Registration
- Dec 2026
Location & Contact
- Company
- Fenwick & West LLP
- City
- Santa Monica, CA
- ZIP Code
- 90401
- Phone
- (310) 434-5400
Education
FORDHAM
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
Melissa Leigh Lawton's current status, "Currently registered", places this attorney in the 67.2% of the 432,625-attorney New York register currently marked active.
Full statewide breakdown & source note
Source: NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registrations. Status counts reflect the latest reporting cycle. Bar status confirms registration only; it does not imply competence, specialty fit, or freedom from complaints.
Same firm affiliation: Fenwick & West LLP
Other NY-registered attorneys who share this firm name on the OCA register (not a geographic peer set).
Near-tenure Fordham alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 2000 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (2000), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 2000 whose listed office city differs from Santa Monica, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for Melissa Leigh Lawton: closest NY bar admission year outside CA, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~310 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~2000)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
Verify This Attorney
Verify on NY Courts Attorney SearchNearby Attorneys in Santa Monica, CA
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Compare Melissa Leigh Lawton with similar attorneys in Santa Monica.
Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
Melissa Leigh Lawton's "Currently registered" listing confirms bar standing only, it is a registration fact to verify, not a verdict on quality or competence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Melissa Lawton licensed?
Melissa Lawton is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was Melissa Leigh Lawton admitted to the bar?
Melissa Leigh Lawton's admission to the New York bar dates back to 2000.
Where did Melissa Leigh Lawton go to law school?
Melissa Leigh Lawton attended FORDHAM.
What company does Melissa Leigh Lawton work for?
Melissa Leigh Lawton is associated with Fenwick & West LLP in Santa Monica, CA.
Is Melissa Leigh Lawton in good standing?
Yes, Melissa Leigh Lawton holds active bar status ("Currently registered").
Cite this page & disclosure
Sourced from the NY Office of Court Administration, informational only, not legal advice. Full disclosure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.