Alexandra Pierce is a seasoned environmental litigator and chair of the firm’s Environmental Practice Group. She represents clients in high-stakes litigation, including environmental and toxic tort claims, contract disputes, employment matters and class actions. Her environmental experience spans defending utilities in enforcement actions under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, to handling litigation over coal combustion residuals for major utility companies. Melissa advises her clients regarding a variety of environmental matters, including regulatory compliance, environmental risk management in business transactions, and environmental liabilities resolution.

Alexandra also handles complex employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, Fair Credit Reporting Act, OSHA and wage-and-hour disputes, including class actions. She has significant experience advising clients on internal investigations and on e-discovery issues in litigation. Melissa maintains an active pro bono practice representing indigent clients in a variety of matters.

Before joining Hangartner, Rydberg & Terrell, Melissa was an attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth in Charlotte.

Honors & Awards

• Charlotte Business Journal, 40 Under 40, 2023
• The Best Lawyers in America, One to Watch, commercial litigation, litigation - environmental, 2022-25
• Business North Carolina, Legal Elite, environmental, 2024
• North Carolina Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2015-22; environmental litigation, 2023
• American Lawyer, Litigation Daily, Runner-Up for Litigator of the Week, 2022
• North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2017, 2020
• Mecklenburg Access to Justice Pro Bono Partners Program, Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2022-23