Melissa Forshey Schwind is the Director of Attorney Talent at Ward and Smith, P.A., a full-service law firm with 120+ attorneys throughout seven offices in North and South Carolina.  Melissa is responsible for all attorney and law student recruitment efforts supporting the firm’s current strategic initiatives and business goals, with an emphasis on the successful transition of clients, referral relationships, and practice experience from one generation to the next.  Additionally, Melissa is responsible for expanding the firm’s professional development learning programs, integration efforts, and Respect, Opportunity, and Collaboration initiatives.

Prior to relocating to Raleigh in 2019, Melissa provided recruiting and professional development support to large law firms in Washington, D.C.  Her experience includes managing lateral associate and partner recruitment and onboarding, conducting screening interviews, implementing training programs, and executing on-campus recruitment programs at more than 20 law schools. Melissa was active in the Washington Area Legal Recruitment Administrators Association, having served on that board of directors for two years.

Melissa is currently an active member of the Triangle Area Legal Recruitment Association (TALRA), National Association for Law Placement (NALP), Professional Development Consortium (PDC), and the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals.  Melissa served on the PDC Annual Summer Conference Planning Committee for two years, having co-chaired the Conference and Committee in 2023.  She has also presented multiple times at various NALP Annual Education Conferences.

Melissa received her B.A. from Michigan State University in 2008 and her J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law in 2011.