Melissa C. Koch

Melissa Koch advises technology and technology-enabled companies across industries on the agreements and commercial relationships that support their operations. A business and technology lawyer with more than 25 years of experience, she draws on her background as former in-house counsel in structuring, drafting and negotiating strategic transactions, collaboration agreements, licenses and other technology agreements.

Her transactional work spans SaaS and PaaS agreements, products and services agreements, internet and e-commerce transactions, and research and development collaborations. She also handles distribution and supply arrangements, vendor and sales agreements, and other corporate operational transactions. Working extensively with general and staff counsel, Melissa provides coordination and support on matters involving data protection and cybersecurity, machine learning and artificial intelligence, communications, outsourcing and procurement. That work also encompasses M&A activity, corporate and major financing transactions, general compliance and reporting, and crisis management.

Melissa’s work at the intersection of law and technology extends to advising legal organizations on AI strategy and implementation. She brings to that work a technical background that includes graduating from TechStars and experience architecting software solutions. She has also pioneered innovations in regtech and legaltech designed to reduce risk and generate substantial cost savings for procurement, compliance and legal teams.

A frequent speaker on emerging issues involving AI and cybersecurity, Melissa continues to explore how technology can change legal practice while preserving its core professional values.

• M.B.A., University of Florida, 2009
• J.D., University of Maine School of Law, 1999, Dean’s List
• B.A., Bowdoin College, Government & Legal Studies, 1995, Dean’s List

• Florida
• New York

• The Legal 500 2014, Recommended for Mergers, Acquisitions & Buyouts: M&A National Middle Market
• Two time Fortune Most Powerful Women Next Gen nominee and conference attendee

• Member, Florida Bar Board of Governor’s Technology Council
• Vice President and Board Member, TEDxOrlando
• Member, Central Florida Association of Women Lawyers
• Member, Technology Affinity Group, National Association of Women Lawyers

• Bloomberg Law, Author, “Data Quality Is the Overlooked Foundation of Successful Legal AI,” July 7, 2025
• Bloomberg Law, Author, “Building a Legal AI Dream Team Means Prioritizing the Human Side,” June 30, 2025
• Bloomberg Law, Author, “Legal Firms Must Ask These Clear Questions Before Introducing AI,” June 23, 2025
• Akerman Practice Update, Author, “Strategic Implementation: Turning Legal AI Vision Into Reality,” June 23, 2025
• Akerman Practice Update, Author, “The AI Legal Landscape in 2025: Beyond the Hype,” June 23, 2025
• Akerman Practice Update, Author, “The Convergence Point: Where Legal Expertise Meets AI Architecture,” June 23, 2025
• 20th Annual Southeastern M&A/Private Equity Forum, Speaker, “Nefarious Actors: Cybersecurity Considerations in Due Diligence,” September 26, 2024
• Practising Law Institute (PLI) Workshop, Speaker, “Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, and IT Systems Considerations in M&A Transactions,” February 9, 2023
• Law360, Co-Author, “Averting Data-Risk Missteps In A Vulnerable M&A Landscape,” August 29, 2022
• The Master’s Conference, Panelist, “No More ‘Sleeping Beauty’-- IT IS Time To Learn How Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity And More Will Be Your Magic Kiss To Wake You Up To The 21st Century,” November 13, 2018
• Florida Bar President’s Showcase Masters in Ethics, Co-Presenter, “Technology and Conflicts”, June 2017 
• Orlando Business Journal, Business of Technology, Panelist, August, 2017
• Law360, Co-Author, “3-D Printing: Innovation, Opportunities and Risk,” February 24, 2016
• Supply & Demand Chain Executive, Contributor, “Cyber Security and Contracts: Have you looked at them lately?” December 14, 2015
• Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Board of Directors Presentation, Co-Presenter, “Creating, Delivering, and Reporting Value: A Roadmap for In-House Counsel,” August 2014