Claire Brown joined the firm's Business Department in 2012. She works with startups and established companies to solve a broad range of legal issues in securities law, corporate finance, corporate governance, contract negotiation, M&A, and general business operations. Brown holds joint graduate degrees from Vanderbilt University Law School and the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. While a law student, Claire spent a summer working at Tonkon Torp as part of its summer associate program; she joined the firm after graduation.
Melina LaMorticella joined Tonkon Torp's Business Immigration Practice Group in 2014. She manages immigration matters for regional and international companies, ranging from labor certifications and naturalizations to extraordinary ability petitions. Prior to pursuing her law degree at Lewis & Clark Law School, LaMorticella worked for more than eight years as an immigration paralegal in the Portland area, she lived in Tokyo for one year, and she had a brief career as an editor in New York City. LaMorticella is active in the business immigration community: she was chair for the Oregon Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) from 2016 to 2017, AILA Liaison to the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles for five years, and served for two years at Portland State University’s Immigration Clinic. LaMorticella is a frequent speaker on employment-related immigration.
Melany Savitt joined the Business Immigration Practice Group in 2012 with nearly ten years of experience in business immigration gained from working as an immigration paralegal in San Francisco and at Tonkon Torp. A graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, Savitt guides employers and foreign nationals through the maze of immigration laws, handling the full range of nonimmigrant work visas. She also has extensive experience with PERM labor certifications, and immigrant visa petitions for multinational executives and managers, as well as individuals meeting the extraordinary ability threshold. Savitt is a frequent speaker at the annual American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) NW conference.
“We have enjoyed providing career pathways and championing these three talented women as they have developed skills, expertise, and leadership within their respective practices,” said Darcy Norville, Tonkon Torp Managing Partner. “As partners, Claire, Melina, and Melany will continue to foster and uphold the firm’s commitment to serve as trusted and responsive advisors to our clients.”
About Tonkon Torp Tonkon Torp LLP is a leading business and litigation law firm serving public companies, substantial private enterprises, entrepreneurial businesses, and individuals throughout the Northwest. For more information, visit tonkon.com.