During her nearly two decades practicing estate planning and business law in Indianapolis, Shawn built an impressive practice and won numerous awards for her expertise in her chosen field. She also took on several leadership positions in both the Indianapolis Bar Association and the Indiana State Bar Association. Her career and her life, however, took an unexpected turn in 2022, when she was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, which is a particularly aggressive form of the disease. Shawn began treatment and went on medical leave from her law firm. She endured chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries, and has surmounted the odds by achieving the status of no evidence of disease!

As her strength returned, Shawn contemplated at length about life, values, and what she wanted out of the next stage of her career. Shawn talked about how facing a potentially terminal illness had reshuffled her priorities, promoting happiness, physical and mental wellness, and spending quality time with those she loves to the top of the list. She also noted, however, that she now, more than ever, had true empathy for those who had faced or were facing similar health struggles, and the terror that must come with not having their affairs in order when such a daunting diagnosis comes in. She felt lucky to have her legal house in order such that she could focus fully on her health, and she gained a renewed inspiration to help others be similarly prepared for life in general and for catastrophic news or events in particular.

This contemplation became plans, and Scott Legal Group was born. From the beginning, Shawn conceived of Scott Legal Group as a different kind of law firm, one that values the physical and mental wellness of its partners, everyone who would come to work for their firm, and everyone who would remain or become their clients. This commitment to wellness has manifested in several ways. For starters, Scott Legal Group has done away with the billable hour. Shawn has seen firsthand how the billable hour is in tension with wellness, not only on the attorney’s side, but on the client’s side as well. Plus, Scott Legal Group is dedicating physical space in their new office to what they are calling a “serenity space.” And while it is still a work in progress, the idea is to provide our attorneys, staff, and clients with a space in which they can rest, think, meditate, or whatever works for each person.

Going forward, Shawn wants Scott Legal Group to stand not only for excellence in the legal work that we provide, but also for resilience, for wellness, and for hope. Shawn knows personally what it is like to face a terminal illness, and to not only survive, but thrive. Our firm reflects the indomitable and life-loving spirit of its founder, and seeks to bring, to each client project, our experience, our expertise, our judgment, and our passion—but most of all our humanity. We look forward to meeting and helping each and every person reading these words.