By Michele Mirto
Shannon Giles has been selected as
the Outstanding
Pro Bono Attorney of the Month for
March. Shannon
has been involved with Southern
Arizona Legal Aid’s
Volunteer Lawyers Program since
2003. Recently,
Shannon completed work on
a case for a client who resides in a
rural county served by SALA.
The client
contacted the office after her
mortgage lender improperly held insurance funds
that were to be utilized for roof
repairs to her home.
The client was referred to
volunteer attorney Shannon Giles.
Shortly after the case was referred to
Shannon and she began writing to the
lender, foreclosure proceedings were
initiated.
Shannon filed a successful application for a home
loan modification,
had the lender stop the foreclosure
and return the insurance money that was
initially held for the roof repairs.
Shannon dedicated twelve hours to the case.
The VLP’s monthly award is a
distinct honor: of the nearly 1300 attorneys who
volunteer their time with VLP, only
12 receive the VLP’s Outstanding Pro Bono
Attorney award each year.
Q & A with Shannon Giles:
Where did you go to law school?
I went to law school at the University
of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Then, I
received an LL.M. from the University of
Arizona in Tucson, AZ. So, I attended
two law schools at two different U of
As.
What is the history of your practice of
law?
I started my law practice at the Tucson
office of Streich Lang. I don’t think we
really had sections then, but I worked
with the litigation partners. Quarles &
Brady merged with Streich Lang, and I
later became a partner in the litigation
section. In July of 2009, I left Quarles
& Brady to practice on my own as the
Law Office of Shannon Giles. I still
focus my practice on contract litigation
and business torts.
What drives you to volunteer with VLP?
My experiences with VLP have been so
rewarding that it’s tough to imagine not
doing it. The clients I have had through
VLP really need help. Without VLP, they
would have no access to our legal
system. I get a great deal of satisfaction from
working with VLP.
Things you do when not working or
volunteering your legal services?
Virtually everything with respect to my
own practice. But, that’s when I’m not
playing with my daughter or taking her
to school.
Things that you wish were closer to your
office?
My home. Vivace.
Are you a dog
or a cat person?
Cat. But I
married into a dog.
