Shannon represents private- and public-sector employers in employment litigation and labor disputes in federal and state courts, as well as in arbitrations and administrative hearings. Drawing on her in-depth knowledge and decades of experience, Shannon delivers effective, preventive counsel focused on helping clients avoid or minimize the risk of litigation. When disputes arise, she is a strong advocate for her clients’ interests, whether working with agency officials to resolve issues, helping employers investigate and defend against allegations of wrongdoing, or developing and presenting clear arguments at trial and in settlement negotiations.

In her employment practice, Shannon works with clients to develop, document, implement and enforce policies on issues across the spectrum, including employee hiring, discipline and termination, and compliance with federal, state and local disability and leave laws. Shannon routinely provides training to supervisors and key employees on topics such as sexual harassment, discrimination, and workplace investigations. She also conducts investigations into allegations of workplace misconduct.

Shannon has a strong labor practice and represents employers at every step in their relationship with unions, from organizing activities and contract negotiations through grievance arbitrations and unfair labor practice hearings.

As a litigator, Shannon has represented numerous publicly traded and privately held companies, municipalities, government agencies, senior executives, and other individuals against claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful discharge, wage and hour violations, retaliation, failure to accommodate a disability, and numerous other allegations. She also defends public entities and agencies in matters heard before the Public Employment Relations Commission.

• American Bar Association
• Washington State Bar Association

• University of Washington Law School (J.D., cum laude); Symposium Editor, Washington Law Review; Member, Moot Court Honor Board
• Stanford University (B.A., international relations)

• Washington State
• United States District Court, Western District of Washington
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Washington
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

• Board member of Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
• Past President of Board of Communities and Parents for Public Schools
• Past board member of the Northwest Women’s Law Center (now Legal Voice)
• Represented numerous asylum applicants on a pro bono basis through the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2012-2023)

  

• Listed in Washington Super Lawyers (2014-2022)

• Ranked in Chambers USA (2021-2022)

• Listed as a Washington State Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation (2015-2021) and in Benchmark Top 250 Women in Litigation (2018-2021)

  

• Avvo Rating Superb
• Included in Leading Lawyers in the Puget Sound Region, Seattle Business (2013)
• Listed in"Rising Star" listing for Washington Super Lawyers (2007)
• Named a "Rising Star" by Washington Law & Politics magazine (2006)

• "How to Ask for New Business and Seal the Deal," moderator, ABA Women Rainmakers
• "Recruitment and Selection in the Changing World," Association of Washington Cities Labor Relations Institute
• “How Men & Women Can Work Together to Change the Outdated Pyramid Structure in Law Firms,” panelist, Women Legal 2015 Conference
• “Calculating Damages,” National Business Institute-Successfully Litigating Employment Discrimination
• Leading the Charge — Advanced Bargaining Strategies for Chief Negotiators,” Association of Washington Cities Labor Relations Institute
• “What Advocates Want from Arbitrators,” panelist, National Academy of Arbitrators, Labor Arbitrators’ Day
• “Preparing for Grievance Arbitration and Presenting a Good Case,” AWC Labor Relations Institute
• “Selecting and Terminating Employees in Washington,” National Business Institute
• “Finding Your Way Through the Maze of Leave Laws,” Summit Law Group Training
• “Basics of Collective Bargaining” and EEO Compliance, City of Renton, L.E.A.D. Training

• Civil wage-and-hour class action defense for public agency: Defended the client against wage and hour claims for alleged pre-shift preparations and post-shift activities. After multiple successful partial summary judgment and expert motions, plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed remaining claims. Appeal is pending.
• Civil wage-and-hour class action defense for company: Defended the client against statewide Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Washington Minimum Wage Act claims based on the alleged denial of meal and rest breaks.
• Civil defense of city: Represented a municipality in defense against claims of wrongful discharge in violation of public policy for engaging in protected union activity. A number of the claims were dismissed in summary judgment on behalf of the city, after which a final jury verdict was achieve in favor of the city on all remaining claims. The verdict was subsequently upheld by the court of appeals.
• Civil contract defense for company and CEO: Defended the clients against claims of breach of severance agreement and willful nonpayment. After obtaining summary judgment dismissing claims of willful nonpayment and a defense verdict in the bench trial on the remaining claims, the verdict was affirmed by the court of appeals.
• Defense of public transit agency charged with unfair labor practice: Achieved the reversal of a PERC decision in a matter affecting public employers throughout the State of Washington.
• Civil defense of public transit company: Defended the client against claims of FMLA retaliation, failure to accommodate a disability, and retaliation for exercising worker's compensation rights.
• Defense of public agencies before Public Employment Relations Commission: Represented employers against unfair labor practice complaints, from initial hearing through arguments before the court of appeals.
• Labor arbitrations on behalf of public employers: Represented clients in discharge and contract interpretation arbitrations.
• Civil defense of employer: Represented a tech company in private arbitration in defense of claimed sex discrimination by female director.

• Honorable Rosselle Pekelis, Washington Supreme Court

• Prior to attending law school, served as legislative aide to U.S. Senator Alan Cranston.