About Shawna M
Shawna M Woods studied political science before turning to law. She earned a Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of New Mexico and later returned to the same school for a Juris Doctor, listed as J.D. (2003). Her academic path set the stage for a career centered on family and domestic relations.
Her first legal experience came as an intern in 2002 at the United States Lawyers Office. That year in courtrooms and offices gave early exposure to federal practice. In 2003 she joined Head Thomas Webb and Willis as a lawyer, stepping into private practice almost immediately after completing law school. Two years later she served as a special assistant lawyer for Child Support Services in the General Office, a role that put her in frequent contact with the mechanics of support enforcement and family court procedures.
By 2008 Woods had established her own practice, Woods Family Law. Running a solo firm meant handling intake, pleading, negotiation and courtroom work. She moved into partnership in 2011 at a Family Law Office in Forsyth, where she spent time as a partner working among other attorneys in a community-focused setting. In 2018 she became associated with Kitchens New Cleghorn, where she continues to maintain an office.
Her professional credentials include certification as a Domestic Relations Mediator through the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. That credential signals experience managing settlement conversations, custody mediation and negotiated resolutions. Over the years she has kept connections to local and regional legal groups. She is a member of the Forsyth Bar Association, the Atlanta Bar Association and the National Association of Women Professionals.
Peers and clients have seen her on both sides of family law matters: representing parents in custody and support disputes, and guiding parties toward negotiated settlements when that path is available. Her background in Child Support Services gives her practical familiarity with how agencies and courts interact in enforcement and modification matters. She has worked in solo practice, partnership structures and a multi-lawyer firm, so she understands both the administrative demands of a practice and the hands-on work of case preparation.
Woods balances courtroom experience and mediation training in cases that often require technical knowledge and people skills. She lives and works in Georgia and maintains memberships in local bar groups. She currently practices at Kitchens New Cleghorn, handling family law and domestic relations matters.
