Are You an Outlaw? Meet Shannon Wilderotter

Who has redefined what it means to think outside of the law (aka Outlaw) and is helping each of us in the process?

Meet Shannon Wilderotter, Marketing Director at GrayRobinson, a 300-attorney law firm in Florida, where she has been since 2013. Shannon is a dedicated and energetic marketing professional with a proven track record of elevating teams and securing victories for law firms. Throughout her 20+ year legal marketing career, she has helped reshape the landscape of legal business development.

A visionary leader, Shannon has implemented strategies such as a cloud collaboration tool for experience management and data-driven evidence of the benefits of customizing RFP responses, marketing content, and business proposals to address specific sector, client, and prospect needs. She is committed to equity, reflected in her work to help attorneys and lobbyists develop diverse teams that reflect the makeup of their clients and in the inclusive language she uses throughout customized proposals. Shannon has an extensive history that includes leading website redesigns, introducing CRM systems, and implementing various technology tools for business development.

Before GrayRobinson, Shannon was a Business Development Director at Frost Brown Todd in Cincinnati and a Business Development Manager at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease in Columbus, Ohio. Each role has contributed to her experience and built into her an unwavering commitment to strategic client development, client service-centered attorney coaching, and enhancing department efficiencies. As a transformative member of the legal marketing industry, Shannon has left an indelible mark on the success trajectory of law firms.

Enjoy getting to know this Outlaw!

Q: Where would you like to live?
A: Someday, I would like to head back to Ohio. I love being near my family and the firm I am with here in Florida, but Ohio was a fantastic place to grow up. You can’t beat the Midwest (and only a few of you can beat the Buckeyes). Constantly changing and growing, but peaceful at the same time – it feels like home even if it’s the first time you visit. And let us not underestimate the power of people giving you the awkward wave of gratitude when you let them into traffic. I will never get over Floridians being… just… non-wavers.

Q: What is your idea of happiness?
A: Early in the morning, when my 6- and 4-year-old girls crawl into bed with me and haven’t fully woken up yet, they aren’t yelling or fighting or wanting anything from me but to hold them and feel their warm little bodies in my arms and hear their little hearts beating. I can close my eyes for a few minutes and just love them. Oh, and the perfect cup of coffee is by my side.

Q: What is your greatest fear?
A: Now that I have kids, the list is long. But honestly, I loathe fear. It is the premise for every bad thing that happens in the world and the motivation for every act of unkindness. It’s a useless emotion. I strive to be fearless but always recognize the difference between fear and good old-fashioned (women’s) intuition. If something feels wrong or just unsettling, you should avoid it. It doesn’t mean you are afraid; it means you are smart. “Make good choices,” as I say to my kids, and you don’t have to be fearful.

Q: Finish this sentence: “If I could have one super-power, it would be...”
A: Brevity (which, to me, is a superpower). It may or may not be apparent with this Q&A, but I have always struggled with it. Doesn’t everyone need the full story??? I have been told on more than one occasion that “perfection is the enemy of good.” I am not perfect, but I tend to overthink, overanalyze, overwrite, and generally overdo in the quest to get it exactly right or to convey the whole story, which is not always necessary and can be an obstacle to opportunity. I have been working hard on it for the past few years.

Q: Who are your favorite authors, or what are your favorite books?
A: I LOVE fiction – I used to read a book a week but haven’t had the time in quite a while. My favorite authors are John Irving, Lionel Shriver, Wally Lamb, Larry McMurtry – anyone who can write an amazingly provocative character. I have an endless list of favorite books, but the last one I remember blowing my mind was Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.