About Melissa Baumgartner
Melissa Baumgartner Umulis earned her B.A. in political science and women’s studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2002. She stayed the course toward law and received her J.D. from Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in 2007. Those years of study shaped a legal perspective grounded in both public policy and individual rights.
After law school, Umulis entered practice and secured admission to the bars of both Michigan and New York. She has built a practice that operates across those two states. That dual admission allows her to advise and represent clients in matters that arise under differing state rules and procedures.
Umulis is a lawyer at Pezzetti, Vermetten & Popovits, P.C. At the firm she works on cases and matters that bring together factual detail and statutory interpretation. She spends time in client meetings, preparing filings, and addressing procedural challenges. Her work requires attention to both the letter of law and the practical realities her clients face.
Her undergraduate studies in political science and women’s studies continue to shape how she approaches legal questions. The coursework honed skills in research and critical reading. It also provided a lens for examining how law intersects with public institutions and everyday lives. Her law school training added doctrinal depth and courtroom procedure to that foundation.
Colleagues describe Umulis as methodical in case preparation and clear in communication. She favors careful analysis over broad generalities. In meetings she outlines options and likely steps. In written work she aims for clarity and persistence in pursuing a client’s objectives. Those habits guide the pace and priorities of her practice.
Outside of casework she remains engaged in continuing legal education and the practical business of running matters across state lines. Her practice reflects a blend of courtroom work and client counseling. She currently practices at Pezzetti, Vermetten & Popovits, P.C., handling legal matters in Michigan and New York.
