Born on April 27, 1968, Shawn was raised in Frederick, Maryland. He received his B.A. in journalism from Virginia Tech in 1990. After a brief career as a reporter and editor and as a legislative aide to a city councilman for the District of Columbia, Shawn attended the University of Baltimore and received his law degree, magna cum laude, in 1998. Upon graduation, he joined Gordon & Simmons. He is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association. Shawn enjoys spending his free time with his three children.