Melanie “Mel” Myears received her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri, majoring in Journalism with minors in Spanish and Business. In 2012, she earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri School of Law, where she was the associate-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Dispute Resolution and Vice President of the Women’s Law Association. She worked as a law clerk for a private law firm that focused on workers’ compensation and personal injury in Columbia, Missouri during law school. After becoming a licensed attorney in 2012, Mel practiced at a local mid-size general practice firm where she gained experience in state and federal civil litigation, bankruptcy practice, and criminal defense. In 2015, Mel joined the Greene County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. In 2016, she was promoted to Senior Assistant and was assigned to the Persons Unit where she prosecuted crimes concerning sexual abuse and elder abuse. Mel holds law licenses in Missouri and Texas and is proficient in Spanish. In 2021, Mel joined Ozarks Elder Law where she focuses her practice on elder abuse, trust and probate litigation, and estate planning.