Shelby has multiple years of experience in the legal field, first as a legal assistant at her family’s law firm, and then as an attorney herself, working at the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. Shelby brings her wealth of knowledge, extensive trial experience, compassion, and advocacy skills to each of her cases.
Educational Background
Shelby graduated from The University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with High Distinction. During her time in undergrad, Shelby focused her coursework on adolescence, child development, and childhood trauma, interning for a local foster care agency to gain experience working directly with youth who were victims of abuse or neglect and placed within the foster care system.
Shelby continued her education at Wayne State University Law School, where she ultimately graduated with her Juris Doctor. While in law school, Shelby studied evidence, criminal law, juvenile law, and trial advocacy, earning high grades in all of these classes, in order to help prepare her for a future career in litigation. Shelby also gained courtroom experience through an internship with Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, where Shelby was able to practice law under the supervision of active attorneys.
Professional Experience
From a young age, Shelby was destined to be an attorney. Shelby’s favorite field trips as a child were to her father’s and grandfather’s law office in Dearborn, MI, where she got to play with copy machine, fax machine, and doodle on legal paper. As Shelby got older, her first job was working as a legal assistant for her father and grandfather. Shelby spent many summers both in high school and college at the family law firm, aiding in scheduling appointments, communicating with clients, and drafting wills and trusts.
After graduating from undergrad, Shelby was accepted at many law schools across the state, being offered scholarships at all of them, but she ultimately decided to follow in her father’s, grandfather’s, and great-grandfather’s footsteps and attend Wayne State Law School. During law school, Shelby still worked intermittently with her father and grandfather, while also interning for both Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office as a criminal defense attorney.
After graduating law school, Shelby accepted a position as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney at the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office where she spent almost 3 years prosecuting anything from drunk driving to sexual assault cases in both the District Court and Juvenile Justice Divisions. During her time at Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, Shelby conducted over 30 trials, both jury and bench, with an over 80%-win rate. Shelby quickly rose as a leader and mentor within the office, assisting in the implementation of case management software and training new prosecutors.
As Shelby transitions her legal career into the defense realm, Shelby brings the vast array of knowledge from her family’s law firm, her internships, and the prosecutor’s office to each and every case. But most importantly, Shelby’s varied background has given her a unique compassion and understanding for clients, victims, and defendants alike.