Melanie J. Garner, 

Background and Experience

Melanie J. Garner is an Associate in the firm’s Philadelphia Office. Ms. Garner primarily focuses her practice on representing individual plaintiffs, as well as their family members, who have been seriously injured by another’s wrongdoing. This includes, among other things, giving a voice to workers exposed to asbestos or other hazardous substances, without being provided adequate warnings or appropriate safety measures, and advocating on behalf of someone’s parent or grandparent who is elderly and disabled, but has been neglected by the nursing home or hospital entrusted with their care. Ms. Garner also represents qui tam relators (whistleblowers) in state and federal false claims litigation, bringing suit on behalf of the government to recover taxpayer funds lost due to fraud.

After graduating from the University of Miami School of Law, Ms. Garner served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Ronald B. Graves in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey.  Prior to joining Locks Law Firm, Ms. Garner worked as an associate attorney in the Baltimore office of a national plaintiffs' asbestos litigation firm representing mesothelioma victims and qui tam relators.  Throughout her career, Ms. Garner has briefed and argued numerous dispositive and other motions before trial courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland, as well as the United States District Courts for the District of New Jersey and Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Garner is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, as well as the United States District Courts for the District of Maryland, District of New Jersey and Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the American Association for Justice, American Bar Association, New Jersey Association for Justice, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Pennsylvania Bar Association and Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, and Villanova Inn of Court.  She is a member of the Board of Governors for the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and is Co-Chair of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice Women Trial Lawyers Committee.

Ms. Garner also volunteers at a Philadelphia public high school, engaging students in critical thinking about law, politics and dispute resolution as a part of the Advancing Civics Education (A.C.E.) program through the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Outside the Office

Melanie enjoys traveling, attending sporting events and frequenting local eating establishments with her husband.  Most mornings and evenings, Melanie can be found walking her two dogs through Center City’s beautiful parks.  She also enjoys yoga, running 5Ks and going for really long walks.  Indeed, last year, Melanie walked 18 miles overnight through Philadelphia to help raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention.

Blog Posts

Public Appearances

Presenter - "Off the Beaten Path – The Rules of Successful Qui Tam Litigation."  New Jersey Association for Justice Mass Tort - Boardwalk Seminar 2016, April 7, 2016.

Presenter - "Social Media Evidence: Finding It, Getting It and Using It." Pennsylvania Association for Justice 34th Annual Auto Law Conference, Harrisburg, PA, May 11, 2016 & Philadelphia, PA, May 25, 2016.

Co-Presenter - "The ABCs of Complex Litigation: Asbestos, Benzene CRPS and More." Legal Intelligencer CLE, Philadelphia, PA, October 21, 2016.