SKB Law: A Collaboration of Success …

Conveniently located outside Columbia, just off North Main Street, in Blythewood, is a small, quaint white house built in the 1920s strategically chosen by collaborative family law attorney Shannon K. Burnett as the home of her practice. On choosing the location, she states, “I wanted an environment that would feel warm and relaxing to me and my clients.” In fact, her beloved dogs, Felony and Sue Me, regularly accompany her to work to everyone’s delight.  

Burnett’s success story traces its origins back to early childhood, where her passion to serve and help others in difficulty was cultivated. At the age of 10, ambitious, charismatic and molded by the strong character of her mother, Shannon recalls telling her father with great boldness, “Dad … I want to be an attorney.” Her father, a pastor, objected, insisting that he would only pay for a college education leading to a more spiritual vocation. Her response to his refusal was, “I guess I’ll need to start saving my own money then.” With that … she began the pursuit of her dreams.     

In her career progression, she became a divorce attorney, but after seeing how the “standard” divorce process often left individuals and families devastated economically and emotionally, she began to practice collaborative law—an innovative, “out-of-the-box” approach, which often produces less adversarial outcomes. The goal of the process is to forge a fair and equitable comprehensive agreement, or, as Burnett would say, “to help the family be the best version of itself on the other side of the split.”

Burnett adds, “Unfortunately, in divorce litigation, families are usually positioned as adversaries because of the process. A resolution may be achieved, but, sadly, shattered lives and irreparable damage to relationships are often the result. I feel that collaborative law is a better option in many situations.”

She feels that divorce brings with it tremendous fear and anxiety. “If my client feels that he or she will be okay legally and financially going forward, then he or she is more likely to embrace other aspects of the healing and recovery process. Through the collaborative process, we can better control the resulting outcome—discreetly and privately doing what’s right for children and for each spouse.” To be successful, the collaborative process requires a mutual agreement founded on cooperation and good faith.

When asked about leaving a legacy, Burnett replied: “Ego and recognition are not important to me. I prefer to know for myself that I was a caring professional that helped to bring about a shift in the consciousness in how we deal with the adversarial nature of divorce and that I took great care in authentically recognizing the dignity in every person that I met.”

Through her work, Shannon is certainly creating such a legacy.

For more information on the advantages of collaborative law, call 803-786-1758 or visit SKBurnettLaw.com.