University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law alumna Nancy Sheehan, ‘83, had a 34-year career at Porter Scott. She was a civil rights and employment law litigator.

She earned an undergraduate degree from Long Island University in 1979 and a JD degree from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in 1983. She joined Porter Scott in 1985 and spent her entire professional career with the firm. She made history as the first woman to be made partner at Porter Scott.

She was honored with admission to several top peer-reviewed organizations for trial lawyers: the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL), and the International Society of Barristers. Nancy was also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and served as the president of its Sacramento Valley Chapter. ABOTA is a national peer-reviewed organization of trial lawyers dedicated to the preservation of the right to trial by jury.

In 2010, she was honored with the ABOTA Sacramento Valley Chapter’s Civility Award for her professionalism in her interactions with counsel and courts. In 2014, she was named the Chapter’s Trial Lawyer of the Year and became the first woman to receive the honor in the award’s 30+ year history.

Sheehan passed away in Nov. 2019 after a long battle with cancer. Her work in the community and her relationships with her clients left a lasting mark. The Sacramento County Bar Association created the “Nancy Sheehan Distinguished Attorney of the Year Award” in her honor.

Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law will celebrate members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. This post is part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni. 

Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary.