The Fox Firm — The California Law and Government Relations Practice of Melissa J. Fox, Esq.
The Fox Firm represents clients in California appellate courts and before California state agencies, county boards of supervisors, and city councils throughout the state. Founded by Melissa J. Fox — an experienced California attorney, former Irvine City Councilmember, and veteran of three decades of California public affairs — the firm combines substantive legal practice in appellate, administrative, regulatory, and tax law with the relationships and institutional knowledge that effective government relations work requires.
Our Practice Areas
Appellate Practice. Civil and dependency appeals before the California Courts of Appeal. Writs of mandate arising from administrative proceedings. Petitions for review to the California Supreme Court. Trial attorneys throughout California refer their appellate work to The Fox Firm. Melissa is a panel attorney with Appellate Defenders, Inc., and a member of the California Appellate Defense Counsel — credentials reserved for attorneys with demonstrated appellate skill in California’s indigent appellate representation system.
Government Relations & Public Affairs. Strategic counsel for businesses and organizations with substantive interests before California state and local government. The Fox Firm represents clients in matters before California’s executive offices, regulatory agencies, county boards, and city councils throughout the state — drawing on three decades of working relationships across California state and local government, on both sides of the aisle. Melissa has testified before the California Legislature on housing and environmental policy.
Administrative & Regulatory Law. Representation before California state regulatory agencies, including the California Coastal Commission, the Department of Cannabis Control, and California professional licensing boards. The Fox Firm handles regulatory permitting, enforcement defense, compliance counsel, and administrative hearings — including matters arising under California’s evolving environmental and sustainability regulatory framework.
California Tax Controversy. Tax disputes before the Franchise Tax Board, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the Board of Equalization, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Tax Court. The firm’s tax practice includes California cannabis excise tax matters, where The Fox Firm has built specific expertise in CDTFA cannabis tax controversy and audit defense.
Municipal & Local Government Law. Land use, entitlements, ordinance compliance, and regulatory matters before California city councils and county boards of supervisors. The Fox Firm’s clients include businesses navigating municipal permitting, zoning, and development-related processes throughout Southern California.
Why The Fox Firm?
Most California businesses facing a regulatory matter, an appellate question, or a government-relations need have to choose between two kinds of counsel: a large firm with the depth but not the personal attention, or a smaller practitioner without the senior judgment or the institutional relationships. The Fox Firm offers a third option — senior California regulatory and appellate counsel with a working knowledge of how Sacramento, the counties, and California’s cities actually operate, delivered with the responsiveness of a focused practice.
Melissa has practiced law in California for more than two decades. Before founding The Fox Firm, she served four years as a Councilmember of the City of Irvine, four years as a Commissioner of the Irvine Community Services Commission, Vice Chair of the Orange County Great Park, Board member of the Orange County Fire Authority, and Chair of the Irvine Community Land Trust. The firm draws on that experience — being inside government, not just advocating to it — to counsel clients navigating California’s regulatory and political landscape today.
Contact
The Fox Firm serves clients throughout California.
melissa@melissafoxlaw.com
949-683-8855