Arnold & Porter counsel Melissa Weberman was recognized with the “Best Innovator: Access to Justice” award at the Relativity Innovation Awards on October 9, 2025. This award recognizes an individual “who has demonstrated a commitment to empowering communities by providing technology and services to those in need at no or reduced cost.”
Melissa, head of the firm’s eDiscovery & Data Analytics (eData) group, has led efforts to bring advanced legal technology and innovative discovery strategies into the firm’s pro bono work, helping to expand access to justice through more efficient, impactful support for legal services partners and clients in need. Melissa also advises clients on efficient, defensible eDiscovery practices and information governance strategies, and collaborates across practice groups to develop tailored discovery management plans for clients in diverse industries. Her vision, combined with the innovative work of the eData group, demonstrates how innovative tools, guided by a firm-wide commitment to pro bono service, can help make equal access to justice a more practical reality.