Carlton Fields Welcomes Esteemed Trial Lawyer and Retired U.S. Air Force Two-Star General Robert “Bobby” L. Shannon, Jr.
Firm Also Adds Trial Attorney Logan Moses Owens; Bolsters Litigation, Cybersecurity, Government Contracting, and White Collar Practices
Atlanta, Ga. - Carlton Fields is pleased to welcome nationally recognized trial lawyer Robert “Bobby” L. Shannon, Jr. as a shareholder in its Atlanta office. Mr. Shannon has tried more than 72 cases to verdict and has served as lead or co-lead counsel in hundreds of complex cases, including multidistrict litigation and class actions, in federal and state courts.
Though Mr. Shannon is known for representing clients in high-profile and complex trials involving great exposure, his experience is bolstered by decades of service in the U.S. Air Force where his work included cybersecurity matters; government contracting; and overseeing senior-level internal investigations, in a variety of areas, including construction and labor and employment, as a Senior Air Force Inspector General.”
As a major general in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Shannon served as mobilization assistant to the deputy chief of staff of the Air Force (A2) for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance at the Pentagon. He also served as a senior leader in various capacities, including as a member of the Cyber General Officer Advisory Council and as a member of the U.S. Cyber Command's Reserve Summit. He participated in the development of national security policy and strategic initiatives as they related to the military’s role in offensive and defense cyber operations as well as cyber network exploitation.
“Bobby has a distinguished background as a trial lawyer and an extraordinary record of government service,” said Gary L. Sasso, President and CEO of Carlton Fields. “He is incredibly accomplished in both the private and public sectors. He adds great depth to our bench across several high-stakes areas, including bet-the-company trials, cybersecurity, internal investigations, and government contracting.”
“I’m thrilled to join Carlton Fields, a nationally recognized powerhouse aligned with my core practice strengths,” stated Mr. Shannon. “Carlton Fields’ unique platform, collaborative culture, and progressive strategic outlook present a tremendous opportunity for me and my continued practice growth.”
Along with Mr. Shannon, Carlton Fields welcomes Logan Moses Owens, a trial lawyer who represents clients throughout the country in high-stakes matters that often exceed $100 million in exposure.
“Bobby and Logan’s distinguished trial experience adds distinct value to our strong assortment of litigators,” said Donald Kirk, co-chair of Carlton Fields’ Business Litigation Practice, which comprises more than 150 attorneys in 11 offices. “We’re excited to have them on board."
Through his work on bet-the-company litigation, Mr. Shannon has built a national reputation for his skills in litigation strategy and crisis management. He has experience in commercial disputes, cybersecurity, aviation, product liability, mass torts, professional liability, trucking and transportation, banking, adversary proceedings in bankruptcy, construction, government contracting, international trade, and other high-stakes matters.
Mr. Shannon retired from the Air Force in 2017 with the rank of major general after 35 years of military service, including many years when he served while maintaining his legal practice, and served as vice commander for the Georgia Air National Guard. During his military career, he had 18 deployments in support of combat and contingency operations to 30 countries. Mr. Shannon was the first African American in the Georgia Air National Guard to be promoted to full colonel and brigadier general.
Mr. Shannon completed the Leadership in Crises course at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is recognized in the Atlanta Business League’s Legends Hall of Fame. He served on the board of governors and as co-chair of the diversity steering committee for the State Bar of Georgia; as a representative on the Law School Association Council; as president of the Gate City Bar Association, the oldest black bar association in Georgia; and as chairman of the Atlanta Business League, which serves Atlanta’s black business community. He also served as a special assistant administrative law judge in the Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings and as an adjunct professor at Georgia State University.
Ms. Owens’ experience includes representing Fortune 500 companies and spans a variety of litigation areas, including complex torts, products liability, premises liability, transportation, bad faith litigation, and business litigation. Additionally, she handles matters involving cybersecurity, government contracting, and construction. Recently she served as second chair for the defense in a trial in which the jury delivered a defense verdict after the plaintiff requested $40 million. She also has experience in mediation and settlement negotiations.
Carlton Fields is consistently recognized by corporate counsel in the areas of litigation, cybersecurity, and white collar crime investigations. Most recently corporate counsel named Carlton Fields a “best of the best” law firm in complex commercial litigation in BTI Litigation Outlook 2020: Changes, Trends, and Opportunities for Law Firms. The firm was named one of the top 25 law firms in the nation for its Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice. Carlton Fields’ White Collar Crime and Government Investigations Practice is “held in high regard … and excels in an array of areas,” according to corporate counsel interviewed for Chambers USA. The team includes more than 10 lawyers with high-level experience as assistant U.S. attorneys, assistant state attorneys, and federal and state public defenders, has tried more than 1,000 criminal cases to judgment in bench trials, more than 1,200 criminal cases to jury verdict, and has handled more than 475 criminal appeals.
