Melinda leads litigation challenging ExxonMobil’s dangerous drilling offshore Guyana which threatens the Caribbean region. Her victories include court orders for an unlimited parent company guarantee from ExxonMobil Corporation and a US$2billion guarantee, cutting Exxon’s environmental permits down from 20+ years to 5 years and rulings that ExxonMobil Guyana must comply with international law, that its partners Hess and CNOOC are jointly and severally liable, and that courts should not award costs against public interest litigants. Her cases have established liberal rules for standing and stronger duties of transparency / accountability on Government and corporations.

She received the Commonwealth Lawyers Rule of Law award for her work to protect the rule of law
Melinda has worked in more than 20 countries for corporations, international financial institutions, conservationists and indigenous peoples. Her work transformed the West Papuan independence movement from unlawful secession to legal self-determination. Melinda used to work for carbon major BP.