Melinda C. Bechtel J.D.

Melinda Bechtel is a founding member of Kent & Bechtel. She has been involved in the legal field for almost two decades. Ms. Bechtel was born and raised in Central Pennsylvania. She graduated from Smith College in 1991. After graduation, Ms. Bechtel worked for two years at Sidley & Austin in Washington D.C. as a paralegal in the Railroad merger department and then in Appeals. At Sidley & Austin, which was one of the largest firms in the nation at that time, Ms. Bechtel received an invaluable “pre law school” education including participation on issues heard by the United States Supreme Court.

Ms. Bechtel attended the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona, graduating in 1996. During law school, Ms. Bechtel served as the Managing Editor of the Journal of International and Comparative Law. Also during law school, Ms. Bechtel worked as a law firm receptionist, legal secretary, and “summer” associate. After graduation, Ms. Bechtel was the law clerk/bailiff for the Honorable Deborah Bernini. In this role, Ms. Bechtel had the unique opportunity to view and participate in over sixty jury trials, both criminal and civil. Ms. Bechtel was lured away from clerkship to take a position as in house counsel for State Farm Mutual Insurance Company. Immediately taking on a trial case load as well as handling dozens of conservatorships, whetted her appetite for large scale trial work. Ms. Bechtel worked for Jennings, Haug & Cunningham for three years on large scale tort cases including defense of “latex glove” litigation. In 2002, Ms. Bechtel began working for Kent & Associates headed by her now partner, Kimberly Kent. Developing a passion for the defense of medical malpractice cases and other healthcare related litigation, was the perfect evolution for a career that has spanned almost half her life. Ms. Bechtel’s other passion in life is her husband of over fourteen years, David, and her two children.