Shayna Matheny

Having grown up in rural eastern North Carolina, moving to the Charlotte area has been an adventurous experience. I met my husband when I was in middle school, and we married shortly after graduating high school. He was in the Army, and we spent the first three years of our marriage traveling back and forth from his duty station in Germany to Oklahoma to attend child custody hearings. During this time, we also had two more children.

After we returned to the United States, we were awarded custody of my husband’s son, and he has been living with us full time since 2012. Although I always knew I wanted to be an attorney, I did not think that I would have the opportunity to go to law school because of my husband’s military career and because I was raising three young boys. When my husband was injured and medically retired from the military, we moved back to North Carolina, and I decided that this might be my only opportunity to go to law school.

I attended North Carolina Central University School of Law. I chose NCCU in part because of its reputation for producing practice-ready attorneys. It was also the only law school where I could gain experience working in a Family Law Clinic. While in law school, I had the opportunity to spend my first summer working for the Honorable Chief Justice Cheri Beasley at the North Carolina Supreme Court. I served on the Editorial Board of the NCCU Law Review and tutored first-year students in Contracts and Criminal Law. I spent my third year working directly with clients in the Family Law Clinic and working as an intern at a local family law firm. Law school as a mother was a challenge, but I am proud to say that I graduated valedictorian of my class.

After law school, I moved to the Charlotte area to work with a local established family law firm. During my time there, I assisted the founding partner in all types of family law cases, including complex equitable distribution cases and highly contested custody cases. Working at that firm, in addition to my affinity for custody cases, allowed me to gain an appreciation for understanding the financial aspects of a divorce or separation. More than anything, I also learned that my clients are happiest when they are never left in the dark about what is going on in their case.

As a mom of three boys, I don’t have a ton of free time. When I’m not watching my kids’ football and soccer games, I’m an avid reader and enjoy indoor rowing. I’m also always in search of the next interesting podcast.

Practice Philosophy

As someone who has personally been through the grueling process of a custody proceeding, I am uniquely aware of how crucial it is to know that your attorney understands your goals in a case and keeps you updated about what comes next. Whether your goal is to settle in mediation, or you already know that you need a judge to make a decision at a trial, my goal is to be the advocate that you need inside or outside of the courtroom. Communication is one of my favorite parts of working as a family law attorney. I remember what it was like not knowing what the next steps were or what to expect after a hearing in my own custody case, and I strive to never put my clients in that position. I promise to give your case the time and attention that your family needs to successfully resolve any dispute, whether that is through settlement or litigation.