Melba V. Pearson, Esq. is a nationally respected civil rights and criminal law attorney, policy expert, and media commentator known as The Resident Legal Diva. She is the founder of MVP Law & Justice Concierge, a boutique consulting and advocacy firm that brings clarity, strategy, and empowerment to individuals and institutions navigating the justice system. Ms. Pearson provides sophisticated advising, crisis support, prosecutorial strategy consulting, policy development, and survivor-centered guidance. Her firm also partners with organizations, law firms, candidates, and public agencies seeking expert insight on justice reform, prosecution, and community engagement.
Ms. Pearson serves as the Director of Prosecution Projects at Florida International University’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy, where she co-leads the nationally recognized Prosecutorial Performance Indicators (PPI) initiative. Her work shapes data-driven prosecution practices across the United States and informs national conversations on equity, transparency, and accountability. She is also an adjunct professor, teaching courses in ethics, criminal justice, and civil rights litigation.
A former prosecutor, deputy director of the ACLU of Florida, and Chair of the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section (2025–26), Ms. Pearson is widely regarded as a thought leader in legal reform and civic empowerment. Her commentary has appeared on CourtTV, NBC Dateline, American Gangster: Trap Queens, and Women Behind Bars. She hosts the Resident Legal Diva YouTube channel —educating, informing, and empowering audiences across YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ms. Pearson lives in South Florida with her husband, Bill.