About Rachel
Rachel Shinville built a legal path that moved quickly from support roles to courtroom work. She studied English and philosophy at Valparaiso University before earning her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School. Those years shaped a methodical approach to legal questions and an attention to written argument.
Her earliest paid legal work came in 2015 as a legal assistant at Corboy & Demetrio, PC. That position exposed her to case preparation and client contact in a busy office. She then served as a law clerk for the Federal Public Defender in 2018. Clerking at the federal defender’s office offered experience handling pretrial research and drafting pleadings on federal matters.
In 2019 she joined the Metropolitan Public Defender as a staff lawyer. There she carried a trial caseload, appearing in court and conducting client interviews. The role required fast case assessment and repeated courtroom appearances. It also gave her direct exposure to trial strategy and client counseling.
Shinville moved into private practice in 2022 as an associate at SBH Legal. That year marked a transition from public defense into a firm environment where case management and collaboration with other attorneys were emphasized. In 2023 she took a lawyer position at Reynolds Defense Firm, where she continues to practice in Oregon.
Her work history traces a steady progression from support and research roles to active advocacy. She has worked in federal and local public defense offices and in private firms. Those experiences have kept her focused on defense work and courtroom practice. She is comfortable drafting motions and handling evidentiary issues that arise in criminal proceedings.
Colleagues describe her as methodical in preparation and direct in court. She pairs careful legal research with a practical sense of how cases move through the system. That combination has informed how she approaches plea negotiations, hearings and trials.
Shinville is licensed in Oregon and continues to maintain a practice based in that jurisdiction. At Reynolds Defense Firm she handles defense matters for clients in state and local courts. Her current practice centers on criminal defense in Oregon state courts.
