MEMBER
Kieran J. Shanahan (Principal) born Frederick, Maryland; admitted to bar, 1982, Georgia; 1983, U.S. District Court, Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia; 1986, North Carolina and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit; 1989, U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina; 1990, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit; 1997, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama; U.S. Tax Court. Education: East Carolina University (B.S.B.A., cum laude, 1979); University of North Carolina (J.D., 1982). Member, Holderness Moot Court Bench, 1981-1982. Member, 1980-1981 and Recent Development Editor, 1981-1982, North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation. Assistant U.S. Attorney: Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1984-1989. Member, Editorial Board, "Construction and Design Law," 1991. Member, Raleigh City Council, 1995-2003. Certified Mediator, 1992. Founder & Chairman, N.C. Property Rights Coalition. Recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers and elected to Business North Carolina magazine's 2007 Legal Elite. Recipient, Business Leader Magazine's "Business Leader of the Year" Award in the Business Services Division, 2009. Delegate, Republican National Convention in New York City, 2004. Serves on the Board of Trustees of Bennett College for Women and the board of Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina. Founding member of CompassNC, LLC, a public affairs and public policy firm based in Raleigh, N.C. Member: The North Carolina State Bar; State Bar of Georgia.Email: Kieran J. Shanahan
ASSOCIATES
Austin M. Chestnut (Associate) born Southern Pines, North Carolina; admitted to bar, 2002, North Carolina; 2004, U.S. Tax Court; 2006, U.S. Supreme Court; 2007, U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina. Education: North Carolina State University (B.S., Business Management, 1998); Campbell University (M.B.A., 2002); Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law (J.D., 2002). Austin Chestnut concentrates his practice in the areas of Wills & Trusts, Estate Administration (Probate), Asset Protection for businesses and individuals, estate and trust litigation, business transactions, business formations, contracts, and business disputes. His experience includes advising clients on estate plans that range from basic to complex plans, preparing, funding, and administering complex trust arrangements, representing clients before the Clerk of Court in trust and probate matters, advising executors and trustees on tax, probate, and other legal issues, directing the distribution of assets from trusts and estates according to governing instruments, and asset protection. He also advises business clients in business formations, operating partnership and joint venture agreements, business succession plans, general contract and leasing matters, asset sale/purchase agreements, employment and independent contractor agreements, non-competition agreements, confidentiality agreements, buy/sell and shareholders agreements, purchasing and selling businesses, and uniform commercial code issues. Born in Southern Pines, North Carolina, Austin grew up in Raleigh. He completed his undergraduate work at North Carolina State University's College of Management where he received his Bachelors of Science Degree in 1998. Austin then went on to pursue both his Juris Doctorate and Masters in Business Administration simultaneously at Campbell University, receiving both degrees in 2002. During law school he was on the staff of the Campbell Law Observer and served as an officer of the Campbell Chapter of the Federalist Society as well as several officer roles for the William C. Bryant Chapter of the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. Austin is admitted to practice law in all North Carolina State Courts, all three federal district courts of North Carolina, the United States Supreme Court, and the United States Tax Court. He is also a member of the North Carolina Bar Association including the Estate Planning Section and Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity International. Member: Wake County and North Carolina (Member, Sections on: Estate Planning/Probate and Business Law) Bar Associations; Wake County Estate Planning Counsel. Practice Areas: Wills; Estate Planning; Trusts and Estates; Estate Administration; Probate; Probate Litigation; Estate Litigation; Business Law; Business Litigation; Asset Protection; Business Transactions; Business Formation; Contracts.Email: Austin M. Chestnut
Melissa L. Pulliam (Associate) admitted to bar, 2009, North Carolina; U.S. District Court, Middle and Eastern Districts of North Carolina; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Education: United States Military Academy, West Point, New York (B.S., May 2000); University of North Carolina School of Law, (J.D., May 2008). Melissa L. Pulliam, a recent graduate of The University of North Carolina School of Law, joined the Shanahan Law Group in 2008 as a member of the Litigation Team. Melissa was born in Memphis, Tennessee and grew up in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. She graduated in May 2000 from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree. Upon receiving her commission as a Second Lieutenant into the Signal Corps of the United States Army, Melissa first served as a Tactical Satellite Platoon Leader in the Republic of Korea. Following her assignment to Korea, Melissa was reassigned to the 25th Infantry Division (Light) stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. She served as a Company Executive Officer and then as a Battalion Signal Officer while stationed in Hawaii. In 2004, Melissa deployed to Iraq for a year with the 25th Infantry Division (Light) as a Battalion Signal Officer. She completed her five year commitment in 2005 and was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain. Melissa received her Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law where she was the Managing Editor of the North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation. Melissa is admitted to practice law in North Carolina. When away from the office, Melissa enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching college football, and scuba diving. Member: Wake County, North Carolina and American Bar Associations; Tenth Judicial District Bar Association. [84th Engineer Combat Battalion Heavy, Operation Iraqi Freedom II: Balad Iraqi, Battalion Signal Officer, U.S. Army Signal Corps; 84th Engineer Combat Battalion Heavy, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Battalion Signal Officer, U.S. Army Signal Corps; C/125th Signal Battalion, Helemano Military Reservation, Hawaii, Company Executive Officer, U.S. Army Signal Corps; 307th Signal Battalion, Camp Carroll, Republic of Korea, Assistant Operations Officer, U.S. Army Signal Corps; 229th Satellite Company/307th Signal Battalion, Camp Carroll, Republic of Korea, Tactical Satellite Platoon Leader, U.S. Army Signal Corps; Army Achievement Medal; Army Commendation Medal 3; Overseas Service Ribbon 2; Korean Defense Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; 20th Engineer Brigade Airborne Combat Patch; Army Service Ribbon; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Iraqi Campaign Medal; 25th Infantry Division Combat Patch]. Practice Areas: Unfair Trade; Corporate Litigation; Civil Litigation; Employment Litigation; Class Actions; Wrongful Death; Contract Litigation.Email: Melissa L. Pulliam
Steven K. McCallister (Senior Associate) born Durban, South Africa; admitted to bar, 1998, North Carolina and U.S. District Court, Middle and Eastern Districts of North Carolina; 1999, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit; 2003, New York and U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.. Education: Appalachian State University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1995); Wake Forest University School of Law (J.D., 1998). Steven K. McCallister has a decade of litigation experience representing clients in administrative, state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. He has represented individuals, large and small businesses, and government entities in a wide range of matters, including complex commercial litigation, serious personal injury and wrongful death cases, state and federal criminal matters, and class action lawsuits. It is not uncommon for Steve to handle cases involving more than $1 million, and he has even handled a commercial litigation matter involving a claim in excess of $1 billion. Steve was named to Business North Carolina's 2009 Legal Elite in the Young Guns category. Steve was also a recipient of the Triangle Business Journal's 2009 "40 Under 40" Leadership Award, which honors the Triangle's rising business leaders. Steven received the Triangle Business Journal's "40 Under 40" Leadership Award and was inducted into the "40 Under 40" Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2009. Steve started his legal career in the Greensboro, NC office of Patton Boggs, a large Washington, D.C. based firm, where his practice included complex commercial and general civil litigation cases. He then joined Adams Kleemeier in Greensboro, NC, along with several other members of the Patton Boggs firm, where he continued to handle complex civil litigation. Steve then moved to New York City where, after co-founding a start-up technology company and serving as its Vice President of Corporate Development, he joined a Manhattan defense law firm. Several years later, Steve returned to North Carolina to engage in nationwide plaintiff's pharmaceutical and personal injury litigation. He subsequently joined Shanahan Law Group in 2005. Steve was born in Durban, South Africa and grew up in both Weaverville, North Carolina and Chicago, Illinois. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Philosophy & Religion, magna cum laude, from Appalachian State University, where he was also made a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Society. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from Wake Forest University School of Law, where he served on both the Wake Forest Law Review Editorial Board and the Wake Forest Moot Court Board. While in law school, he also clerked for the Legal Aid Society of Northwest North Carolina, and helped provide legal services to indigent clients. Steve is admitted to practice law in North Carolina and New York. When away from the office, Steve enjoys traveling with his wife Amy, watching documentary and independent films, and teaching a criminal law course to undergraduate students at North Carolina State University. Steve also serves on the Board of Directors for the Women's Center of Wake County, a non-profit organization that provides a variety of services for low-income and homeless women and children. Member: North Carolina State Bar; New York State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Personal Injury; Products Liability; Business Litigation; Contract Litigation; Torts.Email: Steven K. McCallister
Brandon S. Neuman (Associate) admitted to bar, 2000, California; 2005, North Carolina; U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle, Central and Western Districts of North Carolina; U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Central and Southern Districts of California; U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of North Carolina; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Ninth Circuit. Education: Arizona State University (B.S., with honors, 1997); California Western School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2000). Mr. Neuman began his legal career as in-house litigation counsel to the Fortune 500 Company, Gateway, Inc., in San Diego, California, where he handled an extensive caseload involving complex commercial litigation, including class actions. He later joined the nationally known Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard and Smith firm, where he continued to handle cases involving complex commercial litigation. Brandon joined Shanahan Law Group in 2005, where he handles and supervises a variety of civil litigation matters. Brandon has extensive litigation experience representing clients in state and federal courts throughout the country. He represents companies and individuals in complex commercial litigation, class actions, contract matters, employment matters and matters involving a variety of technologies, (trademark infringement, copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, unfair competition, antitrust violations and E-commerce). In addition, Brandon's practice includes providing strategic advice and risk management to companies in a wide variety of legal matters. Brandon frequently represents employers and employees in a variety of labor law matters, including cases involving the Fair Labor Standards Act, wage and hour disputes, the North Carolina Wage and Hour Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), employment contract and severance disputes, retaliation, and regulatory violations. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Brandon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with honors, from Arizona State University in 1997. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from California Western School of Law in 2000, with Dean's Honors. Brandon is admitted to practice in all state courts in North Carolina and California. He is also admitted to the Eastern, Western and Middle Federal District Courts of North Carolina, the Central and Southern Federal District Courts of California, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of North Carolina and the Fourth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal. He is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, the California Bar Association, the Young Professionals Network of the Greater Raleigh Area Chamber of Commerce, the American Corporate Counsel Association and the American Academy of Trial Lawyers. When not working, Brandon enjoys spending time with his family, exercising and traveling. He also enjoys playing guitar and photography. Member: San Diego County and North Carolina Bar Associations; State Bar of California; American Corporate Counsel Association. Practice Areas: Corporate; Business Litigation; Contract Disputes; Health Care; Torts; Civil Litigation.Email: Brandon S. Neuman
John E. Branch, III (Associate) born Atlanta, Georgia; admitted to bar, 2004, North Carolina; 2005, U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit Court. Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A., 2001; J.D., 2004). Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Member, 2002-2003 and Symposium Editor, 2003-2004, North Carolina Law Review. Author, "Statutory Misinterpretation: The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review's Interpretation of the 'Significant Purpose' Requirement of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act," 71 N.C. L. Rev. 2075 (2003). Law Clerk, Honorable Glen M. Williams, Senior U.S. District Judge, Abingdon, Virginia. President, Federalist Society, Triangle Chapter. Auditor, N.C. Federation of Young Republicans. Member: Wake County, North Carolina and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Employment Litigation; Labor Law; Employment Law; Business Litigation; Civil Litigation; Intellectual Property Litigation.Email: John E. Branch, III
Michael J. Denning (Associate) born Dallas, Texas; admitted to bar, 2007, North Carolina; U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina. Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A., English and History, 2004); Campbell University School of Law (J.D., 2007). Michael J. Denning, a graduate of Campbell University Law School, joined Shanahan Law Group in 2007 as a member of the litigation team. Michael concentrates his practice in civil litigation; including general business, contract disputes, and personal injury. He also handles state court criminal defense matters. Born in Texas and raised in Colorado, Michael loves football, the outdoors, and reading. A Marine Corps veteran, Michael served as a Marine Security Guard at the American Embassies in Beijing China, Tokyo Japan, Jakarta Indonesia. Michael also deployed to Bosnia, Somalia, and Haiti as a Counter Intelligence Specialist. After serving 10 years, Michael was honorably discharged and went to work as a Private Investigator before pursuing his law degree. Michael received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English and History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Juris Doctorate degree from Campbell University's Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law. Michael is a member of the state Bar of North Carolina, the Wake County Bar and is admitted to practice in all North Carolina State Courts. He is also admitted to the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Member: Wake County Bar Association; North Carolina Bar Association. [SSgt., United States Marine Corps, 1984-1995]. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Contracts; Land Use; Personal Injury; Criminal Law; Criminal Defense.Email: Michael J. Denning
SENIOR COUNSEL
I. Beverly Lake, Jr. (Senior Counsel) born Raleigh, North Carolina; admitted to bar, 1960, North Carolina and U.S. District Courts, Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina; 1973, U.S. Tax Court; 1976, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Education: Wake Forest University (B.S., 1955; J.D., 1960); National Judicial College. Phi Alpha Delta. Assistant Attorney General, 1969-1974 and Deputy Attorney General, 1974-1976, North Carolina. Member, State Senate, North Carolina General Assembly, 1976-1980. Member, National Defense Executive Reserve, 1968-1970. Member, National Advisory Board, Monitor Recovery Foundation, 1976. Member, North Carolina State Capitol Planning Commission, 1977-1978. Member, North Carolina Medical Cost Containment Commission, 1977-1979. Member, Administrative Rules Review, Legislative Services Commission, 1978-1979. Member, North Carolina General Statutes Commission, 1979-1980. Superior Court Judge, 1985-1990. Chief Justice Associate Justice, 1992-1993 and 1995-2000, Chief Justice, 2001-2006, North Carolina Supreme Court. Member: Wake County (Vice-Chairman, Executive Committee, 1964-1965) and North Carolina Bar Associations; North Carolina State Bar; North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers; Association of Interstate Transportation Practitioners. [Capt., USAR, Army Intelligence, 1956-1965; active duty, 1956-1958].Email: I. Beverly Lake, Jr.