Melissa A. Rheinstadter

Melissa is an associate at Lamb McErlane PC. She concentrates her practice in Municipal and Environmental Law.

Melissa handles a wide variety of municipal, land use, and property tax matters. Melissa also assists in advising townships, boroughs, school districts and municipal authorities. Her practice focuses on advising both public and private clients throughout Chester County on land use, environmental and municipal matters. Melissa works with her clients, and their professional consultants, to develop effective solutions.

Prior to joining Lamb McErlane Melissa was with a firm specializing in first party property insurance. She prepared written discovery responses, case analysis, preliminary objections and conducted policy and contract evaluations.

Melissa’s background includes an internship with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Administration and Policy, in Washington DC and a Legal Externship for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. In these positions she conducted legislative analysis on agricultural bills and provided comments on the constitutionality and legalities of the legislation. Melissa also served as Judicial Intern for the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas.

Melissa is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She obtained her Juris Doctor from Widener University Delaware Law School and undergraduate degree from Franklin & Marshall College. At Widener she served as the Pro Bono/DEI Chair of the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law and was a recipient of the Dean’s Select Merit and Chadwick Scholarships. She also received the Dean’s Award for the Advancement of Diversity.

Melissa is based in the firm’s West Chester, PA location.

ADMISSIONS:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

EDUCATION:

• Widener University School of Law, JD
• Franklin & Marshall College, BA

ARTICLES:

• Agricultural Security Areas Help to Ensure Agriculture’s Future in Pennsylvania. Article by Lamb McErlane Municipal Attorneys Melissa Rheinstadter and Mark Thompson.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

• Melissa was a panelist at the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce’s Workshop on Local Government 201. Melissa discussed the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law and implications for municipal officials.

COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS:

• Melissa was a 2025 graduate of the Leadership Chester County (LCC) by Chester County United Way
• Melissa was named a 2025 VISTA.Today NextGen Superstar. VISTA identified 40 of Chester County’s most dynamic business and professional leaders, under the age of 40, who are shaping the county’s future