Jessica L. Shaw is an Associate Attorney at Madigan & Lewis, LLP.
Ms. Shaw has a diverse background in family and corporate law, working in the legal field for over 15 years, including at Silicon Valley Tech companies, Apple and Lam Research. With a passion for family law, she volunteered with the Alameda County Bar Association Shriver Program before transitioning to private practice as a family law attorney. Ms. Shaw has experience in all areas of family law matters, including child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, property characterization and division, and domestic violence and restraining orders. She also drafts and negotiates premarital and postmarital agreements.
While her primary goal is to help her clients avoid court, Ms. Shaw will not shy from advocating for her clients before the court. Ms. Shaw’s courtroom experience includes litigating child custody, move-aways, and school choice issues. She is meticulous in trial preparation for all aspects of a case, including standard law and motion hearings and settlement conferences. Committed to guiding clients in high-conflict child custody matters to focus on the best interest of the children, she is straightforward with her clients about the realities of co-parenting and custody expectations.
Ms. Shaw understands that family matters are emotional and deeply personal to her clients, requiring her to tailor her strategy for each client and prioritize a client’s needs in every phase of their matter. But every client can count on her fundamental philosophy: transparent communication and integrity.
In every aspect of her practice, Ms. Shaw upholds the highest legal and professional standards and expects the same integrity from opposing counsel.
As a Bay Area native, Ms. Shaw is an avid Giants and Raiders fan. Ms. Shaw also fiercely loves her fur-baby Huskies, letting them rule her house.
Supporting the Community
As part of her commitment to closing the justice gap in the community, Ms. Shaw regularly volunteers with the Courts and through local Bar associations. As a volunteer attorney with Legal Access Alameda, Ms. Shaw has represented low-income self-represented clients at custody and visitation hearings in a limited scope capacity for over five years through the Shriver Program; assists pro per clients navigate the dissolution process by volunteering for Family Law Status Conferences; and, provides free Family Law consultation and legal advice to unrepresented parties (Community Legal Assistance Saturday Program aka “CLASP”). Ms. Shaw also volunteers in the Family Law Department of the San Mateo County Superior Court for Family Law Status Conferences and Judgment Day.
Recognition
Ms. Shaw has been selected to the Super Lawyer Northern California Rising Stars list for three consecutive years (2024-2026). This is a select award given to the top 2.5% of attorneys under 40 or in practice for less than 10 years.
Educational Background
Ms. Shaw earned a Bachelor of Science in History and Psychology from U.C. Santa Barbara (2005) and a Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of Law (2012).
Professional Associations
- Alameda County Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Contra Costa County Bar Association, Family Law Section
- San Mateo County Bar Association, Family Law & Barristers Sections
- Santa Clara County Bar Association, Family Law Section
