History
After graduating with honors from University of Miami School of Law, Siobhan Helene Shea began practicing in federal white collar and federal civil rights class action appeals. Siobhan Helene Shea has been appellate counsel in Florida since 1991. She brings an exceptional level of intelligence, dedication, and a caring, experienced perspective to each appeal.
Siobhan Helene Shea
Siobhan Helene Shea is the former Chair of the Appellate Court Rules Committee of the Florida Bar and a former Chair of the Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar.
She is rated by Martindale Hubbell as A-V preeminent in appeals.
Shea grew up in Miami, Florida and graduated with honors from the University of Miami School of Law in 1991, where she served on the Honor Council.
While President of the Statewide Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Shea opened and ran her solo appellate practice Sheappeals ® in Palm Beach. Shea was an appellate lawyer for three years in the Appellate Division of the Public Defender’s Office for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, where she maintained a full caseload and created and ran an educational outreach program to work with schools and civic groups. Before that Shea was a partner in her law firm in Palm Beach, Florida. Shea’s first employment out of law school was as an associate to Joseph W. Beeler, a noted federal appellate lawyer in Miami, Florida. Upon graduation with honors from the University of Miami School of Law and her admission to the Florida Bar, Shea also served Of Counsel in HRC v. Baker, a case that went to the United States Court of Appeals Eleventh Circuit twice en banc in which then Solicitor General Kenneth Starr represented the United States.
Education
University of Miami School of Law
Juris Doctor, cum laude, 1991
Earlham College
B.A., Political Science, 1985
Awards and Distinctions
American Immigration Lawyers’ Association Human Rights Award 1992
Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar's Annual Pro Bono Award 2003
Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award 1995
Palm Beach County Women’s Chamber of Commerce Giraffe Award 2013
Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in Appellate Practice "A-V" rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Florida Trend’s Legal Elite Appellate Practice in Florida
Super Lawyer Appellate Practice by Thomson Reuters
Bar Admissions
• Florida
• United States Supreme Court
Publications
“Civil Appeals in Florida” Florida Appellate Practice Manual, LEXIS (Eleventh, Tenth, Ninth, Eighth and Seventh Editions)
“Extraordinary Writs: An Overview” Florida Appellate Practice Manual, LEXIS (Eleventh, Tenth Editions)
“Criminal Appeals in Florida” Florida Appellate Practice Manual, LEXIS (Sixth Edition)
"Quo Warranto" Florida Appellate Practice Manual, LEXIS (Fifth Edition)
"Inside the Fourth DCA" Florida Appellate Practice Guide, 2005, 2003, 2002 Editions
"ABA Council of Appellate Lawyers Convenes in New York" The Appellate Practice Section Record, Fall 2001
"Helping Juveniles at Risk in Florida" FAWL Journal Spring 2003
"The First Amendment Right of Access to Clients and Counsel: HRC v. Baker" 23 Inter-Am. L. Rev. 1992
Associations and Service
Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar Executive Council 2001- present; Immediate Past Chair 2009-2010; Chair 2008-2009; Chair-Elect 2007- 2008; Vice-Chair 2006 – 2007; Secretary 2005- 2006; Treasurer 2004- 2005; Co-Editor Self-Represented Handbook; Editor, The Record, Journal of the Appellate Practice Section 2002-2004; Co-Editor 2001-2002; Assistant Editor 2000-2001; Co-Editor The Pro Se Appellate Handbook 2006-present; Planning Committee Appellate Justice Conference 2007; Liaison to American Bar Association Appellate Judges Education Institute 2009; Outreach Co-Chair 2012-2013; Outreach Chair 2013-2014.
Appellate Court Rules Committee of the Florida Bar 2008-2013; 1999-2005; Chair 2004-2005; Vice Chair 2003-2004; Criminal Appellate Rules Subcommittee 2008-present; 1999-2005 (Vice Chair 2002- 2008); Family Appellate Rules Subcommittee 2008-present; 2001-2005; Civil Rules 4 Subcommittee 2008- present; 2003-2004; Appellate Record Issues Subcommittee 2008-present; 2003-2004; General Rules Subcommittee 2003-2004; Vice Chair Orientation Subcommittee 2003-2004; Ad Hoc Member Privacy Committee 2006-2005.
American Bar Association Council of Appellate Lawyers CAL Executive Board 2001-2002 Editor CAL Newsletter 2002-2003; Member CAL Appellate Rules Committee 2005 –2013.
Florida Rules of Judicial Administration Committee Member 2020 - present.
Florida Bar Diversity and Inclusion Committee Member 2019 - present.
Member Florida Bar’s Entertainment Law Section. “One For the Road” a Promoter’s and Booking Legal Seminar 2009; Legislative Committee 2012- 2013. ABA Entertainment Law Host Committee Annual Symposium on Music, Sports and Entertainment Law 2010; 2015 Symposium Attendee.
Honorary Board Member Equal Opportunities Section of the Florida Bar 2002-2005.
Past President Florida Association for Women Lawyers Statewide; President and delegate to Florida Bar Board of Governors 2002-2003 and 2001-2002; President-elect 2001-2002; Chair Amicus Committee 2005; Past Historian.
Florida Association for Women Lawyers Palm Beach County Chapter Past President, State Representative 2001-2002; President 1999-2000; Vice President 1998-1999 and 1996-1997; Newsletter Editor 1997-1998; Treasurer 1995-1996.
Fourth District Court of Appeal Fiftieth Anniversary Founding Executive Board Member; Past Chair Website.
Palm Beach County Bar Association Appellate Practice Committee Member (Chair 2001-2002); Judicial Campaign Practices Commission 2002; Professionalism Committee 2002-2005; 1999-2000; Historical Committee 2003-2006; Diversity and Inclusion Committee 2019-present.
B'Nai B'Rith Palm Beach Justice Unit President 2001-2002; President-elect 2000-2001; Vice President 1999-2000.
Emeritus Member Craig S. Barnard American Inns of Court.