Melissa Lee

About Melissa Lee

General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Strategic Business Partner Strategic General Counsel and Corporate Secretary with over 20 years of legal experience, including 8+ years leading corporate governance for high-growth organizations. Currently serving as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for EVPassport, a PE backed start up, I focus on building the legal and governance infrastructure necessary to scale enterprise EV charging solutions. I serve as a trusted advisor to Board Members and executive leadership, ensuring rigorous compliance and alignment between legal frameworks and business objectives.Core Expertise:Corporate Governance & Board Leadership: 8+ years managing all facets of board administration and fiduciary compliance. Expert at professionalizing governance structures and serving as the primary liaison between the Board and executive stakeholders to drive transparency and long-term enterprise value.Labor, Employment & People Operations: Specialized expertise in navigating complex labor laws, wage and hour compliance, and workplace discrimination prevention. Direct leadership over People Operations, including the strategic administration of executive compensation, stock options, 401(k), and comprehensive health benefits.Legal Operations & AI Integration: Modernized departmental workflows by migrating contracts into Ironclad and implementing AI-powered drafting initiatives, significantly increasing cross-departmental speed and contracting accuracy.Regulatory & Commercial Strategy: Navigate complex regulatory landscapes in the EV industry, managing hardware/software vendor negotiations, site-host agreements, and infrastructure expansion projects to accelerate market penetration.Strategic Transactions: Lead the legal execution of mergers and acquisitions with a focus on human capital integration, employment liability mitigation, and post-transaction organizational restructuring.Former attorney at Sidley Austin and Sheppard Mullin; J.D. from USC Gould School of Law.I am a consensus-builder who thrives at the intersection of law and business, leveraging technology and governance to steer companies through complex legal landscapes.

Experience

1. General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

   Evpassport

   Jul 2025 — Present · Santa Monica, CA, US

Education

• UC San Diego

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Sociology

  1996 — 2000

• USC Gould School of Law

  Doctor of Law (J.D.)

  2000 — 2003

Skills

• Litigation
• Legal Research
• Legal Writing
• Civil Litigation
• Appeals
• Courts
• Class Actions
• Legal Advice
• Arbitration