MELANY O’BRIEN
Attorney
Melany (Lanagan) O’Brien was born and raised in South Sioux City, Neb. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1989 from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Melany also earned a law degree in 1993 from Creighton University School of Law and was admitted to the Nebraska Bar and the Federal Courts in 1993.
Bar Admissions
- Nebraska, 1993
- U.S. District Court District of Nebraska
- U.S. Federal Courts
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Omaha Bar Association
- Nebraska State Bar Association
- Nebraska Women’s Bar Association
- Nebraska State Bar Foundation
- Women’s Center for Advancement
- American Association for Justice
- Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys
Education:
- Creighton University School of Law, Omaha, Nebraska, 1993
Doctor of Jurisprudence
Honors: Cum Laude - University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1989
B.S., with Distinction
Published Works:
- Lead Poisoning Prevention in Nebraska, The Nebraska Lawyer Magazine
- Personal Injury & Workers’ Compensation Proceeds in a Divorce, Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys
Areas of Practice:
- Car Accident Injuries
- Truck Accident Injuries
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Boat Accident Injuries
- Pedestrian Accident Injuries
- Catastrophic Injuries
- Workplace Injuries
- Slip & Fall Accident Injuries
- Animal Bite Injuries
- Faulty Products Injuries
- Long-Term Disability
- Brain Injuries
- Burn Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Medical Malpractice
- Wrongful Death
Melany O’Brien has been an active volunteer in the Omaha community, particularly with her involvement on the Women’s Center for Advancement board, where she has dedicated many years to helping victims of domestic abuse. She has also contributed her time to speaking at various schools, conducting courthouse tours for grade school students, and assisting with mock trials for high school students across Nebraska.
In addition, Melany has volunteered at the Omaha Food Bank, the Hunger Relief Program, and local animal shelters, showing her commitment to various causes and community service.
“I was inspired to go into legal work because I wanted to help people. I was always interested in the law, and out of law school I took a job that I thought would be great,” recalled Melany. “It was with a great law firm and a really great group of people, but it was doing insurance defense work. I was working for the insurance companies, and after a couple of years, I found it was not rewarding. I started in personal injury and I now feel like I’m helping people who would not be able to get through this process by themselves because the insurance company will just walk all over them, and take advantage of them, if they’re not represented by someone who is looking out for their best interest.”
With a career focused on Personal Injury and Product Liability Law, as well as Civil Litigation, Melany has served on the Practice and Procedure, Mediation, Legislative, Ways and Means, and Judicial Resources committees in the Nebraska State Bar Association. She is currently the Chair of the House of Delegates and a member of the Executive Council of the Nebraska State Bar Association. She is also a Fellow and Board Member of the Nebraska Bar Foundation. Melany is also the attorney of the firm.
Of all the affiliations Melany is deeply involved with, she is most proud of the work she does with the Women’s Center for Advancement (WCA). “Being on that board, I feel we’re doing so many meaningful things to help people get out of abusive situations, and as you know, Hauptman O’Brien provides free cab rides for someone who’s in an abusive situation. If they want a ride to an agency or a hospital, we cover the cost of rides for people who are going through an unfortunate ordeal and are seeking help.”
Melany is a recipient of the David A. Svoboda Trial Award and is the author of “Lead Poisoning Prevention in Nebraska,” in The Nebraska Lawyer Magazine and “Personal Injury & Workers’ Compensation Proceeds in a Divorce,” for the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys.
“Ask anyone who has worked with Melany or been part of her social life and they will all be quick to tell you she is determined, funny, loyal, hard-working,” said Attorney Tim O’Brien. “She is caring and she is always open-minded, but when it’s time to fight for her clients, nobody is more tenacious than Melany O’Brien.”
“I cannot say enough about Melany and the staff. Always supportive, empathetic, and willing to spend time making sure my questions were answered. Thank you for fighting for me over these years nearly 3 years.”
– Amy Lockman Wood
Client Testimonials
Total reviews: 433 |
Average rating: 4.9
Christopher O’Connor Sr.
H Frazee
Jeremy and his team Nicole and Andrea had no doubt they could help with my sons case. They were kind and very helpful and getting some justice for my little boy. After being attacked by a dog with negligent owners we wanted some kind of justice for our son. After reaching out , Jeremy stayed in touch the whole time and kept us updated every step of the way and my son was set up nicely with an education fund through the money he received . If you want a honest, diligent law firm that gets the job done then Hauptman, O’Brien injury lawyers are the best in Nebraska. These people are good at what they do
Garland Jarmon
David and his team were great to work with. They handled the claim process, all negotiations, and my medical bills due to my car accident. This was a huge support which allowed me to focus on recovering from my injuries. Thank you David and team!
Peggy Spaccarotella
Will recommend to others that need this type of service. Everything was professionally taken care of and I appreciated the manner I was treated as a client.
Jason Herbolsheimer
David O’Neill and the entire team was great. They were honest and upfront and did a fantastic job helping me through my lawsuit. Would definitely recommend to anyone who gets into an accident.
Lindsay Wetzel
David was professional and kept me up to date on my case during the whole process. He handled everything and got me compensation beyond what I had expected!! If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Definitely recommend him and the firm for any personal injuries!!! Thank you so much David!!
meadow Lynn
Great place! everyone was super nice and amazing would recommend this place!
Robin Bartlett
We have nothing but heartfelt praise for Mike Khalili and his team. He sincerely guided us when we didn’t know where to start. What he did to help us was beyond our expectations and we are grateful to Mike and his team for their professionalism and caring throughout what was a difficult time for us. Mike was always informative, reached out regularly to check on Randy’s well-being and kept us posted on all negotiations. Shout out to Kate for her expertise and help regarding the antique car. We will highly recommend the Hauptman O’Brien firm to our family and friends. We truly appreciate everything you did for us.
Pamela Waters
Thankful to have had such a great perfessional team that looked out for my husband in his time of need .
Dallas Hughey
David and the team were amazing. They are most certainly the best in the business, I highly recommend them!
No Attorney Fees Unless You Win
I can express enough how thankful I am for this outstanding team. Quick to answer questions, honest in their evaluation of the case, and great at updating as things progress. I cannot express enough our gratitude for their help with a difficult situation.