Meet Jennifer Shankleton! Jen is our 2023 LMA Midwest President and the Director of Marketing at Brennan, Manna & Diamond in Akron, Ohio. She shares about her family, her favorite thing about being an LMA member, how she strengthened her relationship with a partner at her law firm, and more.
Jen wearing her “Laura’s Taco Team” t-shirt in support of former LMA Midwest President Laura Toledo
Tell us your story – where do you work and what do you do? I am the Director of Marketing at Brennan, Manna & Diamond, an entrepreneurial business law firm based in Ohio, with additional offices in Florida and Arizona. We have 10 offices and 80 attorneys. I manage firm-wide marketing and business development with a fantastic team of three, and recently launched an internal business development coaching program. I have held various senior marketing roles at firms in Ohio over the last 16 years, and prior to professional services, spent the first half of my career in entertainment PR.
What is your favorite thing about being an LMA member? My favorite thing about being an LMA member is being able to pay it forward. I have met some of the most amazing people in this community, who welcomed me and offered invaluable advice over the years. Being a resource and connecting others through LMA brings me joy, and seeing others succeed while watching the swell of support and encouragement from this phenomenal LMA support system is so incredibly inspiring.
If you could time travel, where’s the first place you would go? I would like to have met my grandmothers and great-aunts in their early 20s – they all have such great stories, and the old family photos are simply fascinating.
What travel spot is on your bucket list? Capri, Italy
What was the best vacation you’ve ever been on? Location and pace – I maintain that this was my honeymoon: Ixtapa, Mexico – in the Yucatan Peninsula. But since then, the summer Carolina beach vacations with our boys, friends and family soaking up all of those precious memories, were some of the best times we’ve had.
Jen with her husband
What book are you currently reading? Outliers, Spare (listening) and Amy & Isabelle (reading)
What was your first live concert? Aerosmith
What TV show are you currently streaming? Gaslit, Your Honor and White Lotus
If you could appear on any game show, which one would you choose? Name that Tune
What’s your favorite movie? Too many to choose from!
Who would play you in a movie about your life? I am told Emily Deschanel…?
If you could trade places with a Marvel Super Hero (or villain!) for a day, who would it be? Captain Marvel
What are your hobbies? Anything outside: walking, jogging, hiking, gardening, and for the last 12 years: baseball almost year-round. This is my son’s senior year – go Glenoak Eagles!
Jen with her sons
Do you have any pets? If so, what’s your favorite thing about them? Zeke the beabull and Juelz, the frenchton. They are a dynamic duo when it comes to mischief, and my favorite thing about them is how they’ve completed our family.
Jen’s dogs, Zeke and Juelz
What’s your favorite dessert? Creme Brulee
Which 3 famous people would you invite to a dinner party? I am going modern day: Michele Obama, Melinda Gates, Brenee Brown.
What did you have for breakfast this morning? Whole grain toast with strawberry jam and a cup of coffee with oat milk creamer.
Tell us about a partner at your firm who you’ve gotten to know for a personal reason. How did it impact your professional relationship? I connected with an attorney through common parenthood experiences, and having that personal connection made our professional relationship stronger. Our interactions would have continued successfully as they were, but would have remained largely transactional. With a personal investment in this individual, plus additional context and an expanded range of influences and motivations, it allowed me to offer more informed, thoughtful advice.
What’s the best career advice that someone has ever given you? You are your own best advocate – learn that early and exercise it often.