Biography

Experience

Shannon has worked across the full arc of legal education, from teaching and advising current students to recruiting the next generation of law students. Her admissions work has spanned the full cycle: developing application questions, advising law school applicants through their admissions process, reviewing and evaluating applications, conducting interviews, and counseling admitted students through waitlist and scholarship negotiation processes.

  • Held multiple roles at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, all with a significant admissions and student engagement component
    • Associate Dean of Inclusion and Engagement
    • Director of Diversity Education and Outreach
  • Served in student affairs at the University of Chicago Law School
    • Dean of Students
    • Associate Director of Student Affairs
  • Practiced civil rights and complex civil litigation
    • Legal Fellow, Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois
    • Associate, Jenner & Block LLP
  • Served as a Lecturer in Law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, where she taught seminars on Free Speech on Campus and the International Team Project, and taught legal writing at Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Prior to joining Spivey, Shannon worked as an independent law school admissions consultant, helping applicants navigate the process and secure admission to schools across the T14 and beyond.

Shannon is passionate about demystifying the law school admissions process. As a first-generation law school applicant who applied to exactly one school, late in the cycle, with no guidance and no roadmap, she knows firsthand what it costs not to know what you are doing—and she is committed to making sure her clients do not repeat that experience. She helps applicants understand the process, their options, and how to present themselves authentically and strategically. As a former Dean of Students, she also cares deeply about what happens after the acceptance letter arrives, and she works to ensure that admitted students choose the school where they will genuinely thrive and achieve the professional outcomes they are working toward.

Education

Shannon earned her JD summa cum laude from DePaul University College of Law, her Master of Arts in Jurisprudence and Social Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. She is currently working toward obtaining her International Coaching Federation certification.

Personal Note

Shannon is a coach and consultant, a native Chicagoan, and the proud parent of two kids and Cinna, her mischievous dog. She enjoys the summers enthusiastically, tolerates the Chicago winters with varying degrees of grace, and loves exploring her creative side, even when that means bad poetry, mediocre crochet, off-rhythm tap dancing, and unevenly baked cakes. Shannon firmly believes the value is in the journey and in putting yourself out there. Not coincidentally, that happens to echo the advice she gives to her clients.

No items found.
Ready to Take the Next Step?

Work with us to Strengthen Your Application

With years of admissions experience and a personalized approach, we are here to guide you through the process and help you present your strongest application. Reach out today to get started.