Symone Shinton | Founder
At the age of fourteen, Symone was sexually abused by an adult member of her local church in her hometown in Florida. Her abuser was imprisoned, and Symone experienced firsthand how the legal process can be its own separate trauma for survivors of sexual abuse. Navigating poverty with her single, immigrant mother, they were unaware that she had a legitimate lawsuit against the church until it was too late. This was not Symone’s first experience with the legal system. Before she started high school, Symone argued at her father’s criminal sentencing hearing. She understood that she was destined to become a lawyer.
Symone graduated valedictorian of her Chicago law school, excelling academically. She spent seven years at top corporate defense firms, gaining inside knowledge of Fortune 500 companies and how they defend against personal injury lawsuits. Trusted to prepare and defend high-profile depositions, she led teams nationwide and collaborated on a $12.5 billion settlement. She now leverages her relationships and credibility in her current practice.
In 2023, Symone shifted to representing sexual abuse survivors, aiming to empower and educate disenfranchised individuals with claims against companies. She has represented over 1,000 survivors and helped secure hundreds of millions in settlements at her previous firm. Her focus is on litigating against institutions that negligently host sexual predators.
In 2025, Symone founded her own law firm to fully devote her practice to holistically empowering survivors of sexual abuse on her own terms. Symone provides a bespoke approach tailored to each client's unique circumstances and traumas, partnering with them to restore their sense of agency and control by taking legal action. Symone recognizes that the legal process can be its own source of trauma that deters many survivors from coming forward. Symone's survivors can expect transparent representation, where they know what to expect and can actively or passively engage throughout. Symone views herself as a translator and a megaphone, but it is always the survivor who is speaking.
Meet Symone
Community Engagement
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The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) mission is to protect the civil justice system, uphold the U.S. Constitution's Seventh Amendment (right to trial by jury), and ensure victims can hold wrongdoers accountable. Founded in 1952, this 2,000-member organization promotes high ethical standards and works to guarantee equal, prompt justice for consumers.
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The National Crime Victim Bar Association (NCVBA) is a professional organization dedicated to helping crime victims pursue justice and rebuild their lives through the civil justice system. It connects victims with qualified attorneys, educates legal professionals on representing victims, and provides resources for civil litigation.
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The mission of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) is to promote a fair and effective justice system, advocating for the rights of individuals harmed by negligence or misconduct. Members aim to preserve the constitutional right to trial by jury, champion the cause of injured people, and uphold high ethical standards in the legal profession.
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The Chicago Bar Association's (CBA) Lawyers in the Classroom program aims to engage Chicago-area students through interactive civic education, using attorney volunteers to teach how the Constitution and legal system shape rights and responsibilities. Board members help drive this mission to empower students with critical thinking and analytical skills.
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The Private Plug Foundation is dedicated to empowering women and young girls through mentorship, access, and leadership development, with a focus on building confidence, vision, and legacy.
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The mission of the 2025 Women En Mass (WEM) Torts Conference and its panelists is to empower, connect, and advance female attorneys in the mass tort and class action litigation space. WEM aims to foster a collaborative environment where top female legal professionals can share knowledge, build relationships, and increase the representation of women in leadership positions from the courtroom to the boardroom.
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The Trial Lawyers of Mass Torts (TLMT) Conference aims to foster collaboration, education, and networking among top-tier judges, plaintiffs' attorneys, and defense bar professionals. It focuses on addressing contemporary issues in complex litigation, specifically mass torts and class actions, to improve strategies and strengthen collegiality.
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The mission of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) is empower trial lawyers through education to fight for justice, protect victims' rights, and ensure access to the civil justice system.
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The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) is a feminist organization with a mission to end all forms of sexual exploitation, including sexual assault and the commercial sex trade. They work to address the culture, institutions, and individuals that perpetrate or profit from sexual harm through prevention, policy reform, community engagement, and legal services.
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The mission of the Step Up Women's Network (Step Up) is to propel girls from under-resourced communities to fulfill their potential by empowering them to become confident, college-bound, career-focused, and ready to join the next generation of professional women through mentorship, networking, and structured programs.
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The mission of The Milestone Foundation (formerly known as the Bairs Foundation) is to provide ethical, low-interest, and non-recourse financial assistance to individuals suffering from financial distress during the litigation of catastrophic accidents.
Her Approach
Symone knows firsthand that the legal system can retraumatize survivors, and she has built her entire practice around changing that reality. She provides transparent, survivor-centered representation where clients maintain control over their case and choose how actively they want to engage in the process. Drawing on her years defending Fortune 500 companies, Symone now uses that insider knowledge to hold powerful institutions accountable, approaching each case with the understanding that legal action is not just about compensation, it's about restoring agency, dignity, and voice to those who have been silenced.
The Survivors’ Lawyer
The nation’s choice for ethically empowering survivors of sexual abuse through transparent representation rooted in integrity.
