Melissa Kilmer

Melissa Kilmer, J.D., is the Director of the Academic Success Program (A.S.P.) and a Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at Gonzaga University School of Law. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1997) and a Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law (2001).

• Expertise in family law and criminal litigation
• Teaching Contracts, Professional and Academic Foundations (ProFound), and Introduction to Lawyering Skills
• Member of the Maryland (2001), Idaho (2019), and Coeur d’Alene Tribal Court (2021) bars

Her research focuses on legal education strategies for bar exam preparation and doctrinal course design. Melissa transitioned to her faculty role in Fall 2024 after serving as Assistant Director of Academic Success and Bar Programs for three years. She previously worked as a civil litigator at Maryland Legal Aid Bureau (11 years) and Idaho Legal Aid Services (2 years), alongside criminal litigation experience as an assistant prosecutor in Dorchester County, Maryland (2 years).