About Tonya
Tonya VanBenschoten took an uncommon route into private practice and public service. She earned a J.D. from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University (2011) after completing a B.A. in sociology, psychology and criminology at Western Kentucky University (2006). Her academic background blends social science and law, an unusual combination that informs how she approaches disputes and estate matters.
She joined Shur Law Co., LPA as a lawyer in 2012. That early period in private practice included work across several of the firm’s offices. In 2016 she entered military service as a judge advocate in the United States Army. The judge advocate role added courtroom experience, military legal procedure and client counseling under pressure. She returned to civilian practice while maintaining bar registrations across multiple states and federal districts.
VanBenschoten is licensed in Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky, and she is admitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Those admissions reflect a practice that spans state and federal matters. She holds the Certified Estate Planner credential from the National Association of Certified Estate Planners, a designation that signals formal training in estate planning and related documentation.
Her professional memberships align with collaborative and family-centered dispute resolution. She belongs to the National Association of Collaborative Professionals, the Cincinnati Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the Academy of Northern Kentucky Collaborative Professionals. She is also a member of the Northern Kentucky Bar Association and the Kentucky Bar Association, each listing her as current since 2018, and she has belonged to the Ohio State Bar Association since 2012. Those affiliations point to steady involvement in regional bar activity and a practice style that often uses cooperative processes.
Today she practices at Shur Law Co., LPA, where her background—military service, early private practice and specialized estate planning certification—shapes the services she offers. Her work includes estate planning, collaborative law and related civil matters across the jurisdictions where she is admitted. She maintains an active role in collaborative professional circles and continues to represent clients in both state and federal forums.
She currently practices estate planning, collaborative law and civil matters at Shur Law Co., LPA.
