After graduating from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1989, Melissa practiced at the law firm of Risley and Associates in Costa Mesa, California, representing the business, real estate, estate planning, and probate interests of high net worth clients in the Southern California area. Melissa took that practice into the law firm Melissa S. Kauttu, Attorney at Law, in Santa Ana, California, and maintained her practice in Southern California until 2001, before relocating to her family’s hometown of St.Augustine, Florida.
In St. Augustine, Melissa as an Assistant State Attorney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit in St.Johns County. She prosecuted all levels of crimes and served as a Drug Court prosecutor before leaving the State in 2009. Melissa also served as Regional Conflict Counsel for the Office of Criminal Conflict and Regional Civil Counsel from 2009-2011 and the Judicial Administration Commission for all levels of felony offenses as appointed by the Circuit Court from 2011 and extending into 2016.
On January 1st, 2014, she opened and founded The Law Station, a dba of Melissa Sarris Kauttu, P.A., expanding her network of service to the North Florida community in general practice areas, with emphasis in Business, Estate Planning and Probate, and later adding Mediation.
Melissa can mediate any type of case and is presently certified by the Florida Supreme Court in Circuit Civil and Family Law. She can mediate matters prior to or after the filing of an action and can mediate cases seeking modifications of judgments from earlier litigation between the parties. If during active litigation, she will seek a court order and give notice of mediation to all parties.
She is a member of the Florida Bar, St. Johns County Bar Association, Putnam County Bar Association, Florida Women’s Lawyer’s Association, and the Collaborative Family Law Group of Northeast Florida. She sits on the Board of the St. Johns Cultural Council and is active in the arts and music community. She is a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.