Attorney Bio
Melissa Rankine joined Katherine Maloney & Associates as an associate attorney in 2023. She comes to our office with 15 years previous experience as a paralegal. Ms. Rankine obtained her license in 2021, and is focused primarily on family law issues such as divorce, custody (now allocation of parental responsibility), and child support. Her practice area will include probate issues such as the guardianship of disabled adults and minor children
Ms. Rankine graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and minor in psychology. During her time at UW Parkside, she interned with the Racine Correctional Institution pre-release planning and Racine's Juvenile deferred prosecution intervention programs. She was also a member of the UW Parkside competitive dance team. After graduating from UW Parkside, Ms. Rankine worked as a paralegal for civil litigation and creditors' rights law firms. She also worked as a social worker with the Wisconsin Department of Children and Family in Milwaukee.
Ms. Rankine made the move to Chicago, IL in 2013 and received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law with a certification in Public Interest and Social Justice. Ms. Rankine continued to work full time at a family law firm while attending law school. During law school, she was elected as the Student Bar Association Representative for the class of 2021, on the Dean's List, and was one of Loyola's first recipients of the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Award in 2019. She was an active member of the American Inn of Courts, a mentor at Chicago's Legal Prep Academy, intern for the American Bar association, and volunteer for the Inner-City Muslim Action Network's Family Law Clinic and Legal Aid of Illinois. Ms. Rankine added to her academic experience by traveling to Loyola's John Felice Rome Center in Rome, Italy, where she studied under Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Prior to her tenure with Katherine Maloney & Associates, Ms. Rankine honed her legal skills as an attorney specializing in the formation, structuring, compliance, and ongoing management of alternative investment funds catering to startups and angel investors. Her experience underscores her proficiency in navigating complex legal matters to meet the unique needs of her clients in the investment sector.
Ms. Rankine offers a wealth of experience and expertise, ensuring comprehensive and dedicated representation for her clients. As the Secretary of the Will County Women's Bar Association and a member of esteemed organizations like the Illinois State Bar Association, the Young Lawyers Association, and the Plainfield Shorewood Chamber of Commerce, she remains committed to staying current with legal trends. Her past involvement with the Chicago Bar Association and the Women's Bar Association of Illinois further underscores her dedication to both the legal profession and her community.
