Sheena focuses her practice exclusively on criminal defense at the municipal and state level, direct appeals at the state level, and collateral criminal issues like expungement and offender registry removal. While in law school, Sheena worked as a law clerk at the firm. After graduation, she worked for five years as a public defender in Johnson County, Kansas.
As a public defender, she obtained extensive jury trial experience and handled a serious felony case load. Her last six jury trials as a public defender resulted in acquittals. She even obtained an acquittal by reason of mental disease or defect.
Sheena rejoined the firm as an attorney in March of 2016 and became a partner in March of 2022. In private practice Sheena has continued to be a well-respected criminal defense attorney in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. She is passionate about expungement and offender registry removal issues.
Sheena has extensive jury trial experience and is committed to getting positive results for her client. When not fighting for her clients, Sheena is very involved in our local bar and criminal defense organizations attending events, teaching CLE programs, and serving in leadership roles.
Outside of work, Sheena enjoys spending time with her husband and two young sons and the occasional game of Mahjong.
Bar Admissions
Missouri, 2010
Kansas, 2011
Western District of Missouri, 2015
District of Kansas, 2015
Education
University of New Hampshire, 2007 B.S. Business Administration, Cum Laude
Suffolk University Law School, 2010 Magna Cum Laude
Professional Associations & Memberships
Kansas Association Criminal Defense Attorneys—Current secretary
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association—Past President of Criminal Law Section, Current Jr. Member at Large
Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers—Current Board member.Association of Women Lawyers KC
Johnson County Bar Association—current Vice President of criminal law section
Johnson County Bar Foundation Fellow
Awards
2025 Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers for Criminal Defense
2024 Super Lawyer in Missouri and Kansas for Criminal Defense
2023 Super Lawyer in Missouri and Kansas for Criminal Defense
2023 National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys Top 40 under 40 for excellence in the field of Criminal Law
2023 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America in Criminal Defense
2023 Missouri Lawyers Media Women in Justice Award
2022 National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys Top 10 under 40
2022 Missouri Lawyers Weekly Up and Coming Attorney
2017 Super Lawyers Rising Stars in Missouri and Kansas
Jarvis v. Kansas Department of Revenue
Landmark case holding that the administrative hearing statute amendment allowing court to “consider and determine any constitutional issue” expresses an intent to give courts authority to review, consider, and determine the constitutionality of the law enforcement encounter in a driver's license suspension proceeding and that the district court may set aside a driver's license suspension order if the driver meets the burden of establishing the encounter with law enforcement was unlawful.