Shannon McLin

Shannon McLin is a seasoned appellate lawyer with more than 30 years of experience representing clients in state and federal appeals and providing strategic trial support to trial lawyers. Board certified in appellate practice by The Florida Bar, she is known for her strategic insight, persuasive writing, and deep knowledge of appellate procedure.

Shannon began her career as a judicial law clerk at Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal, gaining invaluable insight into how appellate judges evaluate briefs and arguments—an advantage she brings to every case. In 1993, she founded one of Florida’s first boutique appellate firms. Under her leadership, the firm grew to seven attorneys with offices across the state. In 2019, she launched Florida Appeals, a firm focused exclusively on high-level appellate representation.

Florida Appeals is home to a team of five appellate lawyers, including three former judges who have served on both circuit and appellate courts, offering clients a rare depth of judicial perspective and experience across a broad range of appellate matters.

Shannon’s practice includes complex civil, commercial, and family law appeals before all six of Florida’s District Courts of Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. She is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has consistently been named by Florida Trend magazine as a Florida Legal Elite in Appellate Practice and as a Florida Super Lawyer. She has also been recognized as one of Florida’s Top 50 Women Lawyers and among Orlando’s Top 50 Lawyers.

A respected leader in the appellate community, Shannon has held numerous leadership roles within The Florida Bar. She is a Charter Member of the Appellate Practice Section, where she served on the Executive Council and as a delegate to the Council of Sections. She chaired the section’s Outreach Committee, served on the Fifth District Court of Appeal’s Mediation Task Force, and was appointed by the President of The Florida Bar to the Appellate Certification Committee, serving as both Vice-Chair and Chair. She has also served on the Appellate Court Rules Committee and chaired the Appellate Committee of the Family Law Section.

She currently serves on The Florida Bar’s Family Law Section Executive Council and was recently honored with the Chair’s Award for Special Merit in recognition of her leadership and contributions to the section.

Her professional affiliations extend to the Florida Justice Association, where she served on the Women’s Caucus Board of Directors and the Amicus Curiae Committee. She is also an active member of local bar associations in Orange, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Lake, Sumter, and Marion counties, and is a proud member of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers.

Shannon’s work has earned her the Florida Justice Association’s S. Victor Tipton Award for Superior Achievement in Legal Writing. She also received the Brevard County Legal Aid Appellate Law Award for pro bono advocacy.

A passionate advocate for access to justice, Shannon has successfully represented indigent clients in appeals involving family autonomy, constitutional rights, and procedural due process. She also gives back through volunteer work with community organizations focused on child welfare, education, and civil rights.

As both a legal trailblazer and a compassionate advocate, Shannon McLin brings integrity, excellence, and purpose to her appellate work. She regularly co-counsels with trial lawyers whose clients benefit from her appellate expertise.