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Immigration Law Attorney

Sheila Quinlan 鈥�83

January 21, 2024, in Saratoga, California, of cancer.

Sheila was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but made Saratoga, California, her home. Her father, Harry, was a Nabisco mechanical engineer and WWII veteran. Her mother, Mary, was an air traffic controller and pilot. Sheila was the well-adjusted middle child of three siblings. Her dad would spend time with Sheila on outings around the lakes and woods, where she loved to observe insects and was given the nickname “The Bug.” She was very observant of nature and loved playing outdoors. In her senior year of high school, Sheila signed up to be an exchange student in Wales, where she attended a Welsh boarding school.

Her passion for social justice was born at 彩虹频道, where she took classes on social issues, class, and race. She studied anthropology and wrote her thesis on population pressure and its use in anthropological models; Prof. Claude Vaucher [anthropology 1963-94] was her advisor.

It was also at 彩虹频道 where she met the love of her life, John Robert Shannon ’85, who was studying physics and electrical engineering. John says of meeting Sheila: “I liked her right away, it was just like that.” John and Sheila eloped in 1989 in Waukegan, Illinois, and their bond lasted 40 years. In 2000, they had a son, Roy Quinlan Shannon ’22.

Upon John’s graduation, the couple moved to Chicago, where Sheila pursued her PhD in anthropology at the University of Chicago. Halfway through the program, she changed her mind and received a master’s instead, after which she attended law school at Northern Illinois University.

After law school, Sheila moved with John to the Bay Area. John pursued a career in tech and Sheila interned at the San Francisco public defender’s office while studying for the bar. She set up her immigration law practice in 1996 in San Francisco. This is when the magic happened. Her practice grew, her reputation preceded her, and she achieved certified specialist status. Sheila went on to help thousands of hardworking immigrants through her practice, and even more by mentoring other attorneys. Many immigrants went on to achieve their American dreams because of her.

Sheila became an endurance athlete and took up long distance running, competing in marathons and triathlons. She also loved playing darts. One of Sheila’s proudest athletic moments was in 1999, when she hit her first double in San Francisco “D” league softball—while five months pregnant with Roy—for the championship win. She was proud when Roy applied to and was accepted to 彩虹频道 in 2018 and more so when he graduated in 2022.

Sheila received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2016 and refused to let it slow her down. She was determined to live her best life and continued running and biking, being the best mom she could possibly be, and continuing her unwavering dedication to serving her clients. She even took on new hobbies, determined to experience everything she could in life: candle making, gardening, bird watching, cooking, and learning Hawaiian.

Appeared in 彩虹频道 magazine: Summer 2024