The Melonakos Law Firm

Attorney Michael Melonakos

As a young lawyer, Michael spent several years working for two of Atlanta’s premier insurance defense firms. He represented locally and nationally-known trucking companies, automobile insurers, and premises liability insurers in defense of lawsuits filed by accident victims. When Mike made a career move to the plaintiff’s side, his tenure in the large law firm environment and representation of prominent insurance companies provided Mike the experience necessary to obtain hundreds of favorable settlements and verdicts for his personal injury clients.

After a decade of practicing law in Atlanta, Michael and his wife Bren decided it was time to move back to Bren’s hometown of Greenville, SC so they could help accident victims in the Upstate area and be a part of a beautiful, growing city.

Michael’s experience in Atlanta’s fast-paced environment gives him a big advantage, as he has seen every type of injury and fact pattern and knows how to maximize the value of every case.

Bar Admissions:

• South Carolina

Education:

• University of Georgia School of Law
• Michigan State University

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Greenville Bar Association

Attorney Cole Brady

Before joining The Melonakos Law Firm, Cole served as an Assistant Public Defender in South Carolina’s Tenth Circuit, protecting the rights of indigent defendants and handling their legal issues with care and diligence. From criminal defense work with the Anderson County Public Defender’s Office to volunteering his time serving the Anderson community, Cole has always found joy in helping those in need. Now he gets to put his passion and skills to work as an Associate Attorney serving the injured with the compassionate legal representation they deserve.

Cole received his B.A. in History from Anderson University and his J.D. from Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, VA. Cole is a husband and father who cherishes spending time with his family. You can find him most afternoons or weekends taking walks in the park with his wife and son, grabbing a coffee from a local coffee shop, or playing the piano at home. Cole is an active member of F3 (“Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith”) in Anderson, a group of men who work out together at 5:30am, volunteer together, and encourage each other to be better fathers, better husbands, and better men. Cole’s commitment to growth and becoming better helps him in his work to get the best possible outcomes for his clients.

Education:

• Regent University School of Law, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • J.D.
• Anderson University
  • B.A.
  • Major: History

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Active Member of F3 (“Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith”)

Attorney J.P. Ferguson

Prior to joining The Melonakos Law Firm, J.P. worked for one of the area’s notable insurance defense firms. J.P. represented multiple automobile insurance agencies, governmental entities, and businesses throughout South Carolina in both State and Federal Court. J.P. has resolved many cases and has taken many cases to trial successfully. J.P. now uses that experience to fight for the best outcomes for his clients.

J.P. Ferguson grew up in Travelers Rest, S.C. He attended Newberry College on a golf scholarship and majored in Business Management and Philosophy. J.P. went on to attend law school at the University of South Carolina. While in law school, he was a competitor on the mock trial team and won the “Best Oralist” award in his first year Legal Research and Writing class. J.P. is a brain cancer survivor. His battle with brain cancer helps him empathize with clients which helps him provide compassionate counsel for the injured.

Education:

• University of South Carolina School of Law, Columbia, South Carolina
  • Honors: Best Oralist Award
• Newberry College
  • Major: Business Management and Philosophy

Attorney Madison Howard

Before joining The Melonakos Law Firm, Madison worked for a firm representing plaintiffs in medical malpractice and wrongful death claims. As an Associate Attorney, Madison is excited to apply her experience in advocating for her clients and fighting for the compensation they deserve.

Madison grew up in Macon, GA. She received a degree in Political Science with a minor in Writing from the University of North Georgia and her Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law. During law school, she spent her summers interning with a family law practitioner. In her second year, Madison became a registered civil and domestic mediator and assisted her mentor in training dozens of new mediators. Outside of work, Madison enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family—most of all with her corgi, Dobby.

Education:

• Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Juris Doctor
• University of North Georgia
  • Major: Political Science
  • Minor: Writing

Attorney Lauren Davis Walters

Admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 2007, Lauren Davis Walters is a highly experienced trial attorney whose career spans both prosecution and defense—experience that now directly benefits her clients as a personal injury attorney. After more than 15 years litigating serious cases in South Carolina courtrooms, she brings a strategic, compassionate, and results-driven approach to representing individuals who have been injured through no fault of their own.

Before transitioning to personal injury law, Lauren served as an Assistant Public Defender for South Carolina’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, advocating for clients in high-stakes criminal cases. She previously spent over a decade with the Tenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, where she served as a Senior Assistant Solicitor and Communications Director, prosecuting complex violent cases and trying numerous matters to verdict. This rare combination of experience on both sides of the courtroom gives her a deep understanding of how cases are evaluated, negotiated, and tried—an invaluable advantage when pursuing maximum compensation for injury victims.

Earlier in her career, Lauren clerked for the Honorable J. Cordell Maddox, Jr. of the South Carolina Tenth Judicial Circuit Court, providing her with unique insight into judicial decision-making and trial strategy. As a personal injury attorney, Lauren combines courtroom experience, meticulous case preparation, and genuine care for her clients—fighting to hold wrongdoers accountable and to secure the compensation her clients need to move forward.

Lauren earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law, where she was a teaching assistant in Contracts, President of the Georgia Society for International and Comparative Law, and a Student Bar Association Senator. She also completed European Union Law studies with honors at the Institut d’Etudes Européennes and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and History from Agnes Scott College. Lauren has been recognized statewide for excellence in trial advocacy, including being named among Greenville Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite of the Upstate” and receiving the John R. Justice Award. In 2016, she made South Carolina legal history as the first attorney to use a facility dog with a witness during trial testimony, reflecting her commitment to client-centered advocacy.

A CLE faculty member, Lauren has regularly trained attorneys and law enforcement throughout South Carolina. She is also deeply committed to the Upstate community, serving on the Board of Directors for Meals on Wheels of Greenville and Safe Harbor.

Bar Admissions:

• South Carolina, 2007

Education:

• University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia
  • Juris Doctor
  • Honors: Teaching Assistant in Contracts
  • Honors: President of the Georgia Society for International and Comparative Law
  • Honors: Student Bar Association Senator
  • Honors: European Union Law studies with honors at the Institut d’Etudes Européennes
• Agnes Scott College
  • B.A., Bachelor of Arts
  • Honors: Greenville Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite of the Upstate”
  • Honors: John R. Justice Award
  • Major: English and History

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Board of Directors for Meals on Wheels of Greenville
• Board of Directors for Safe Harbor