Shannon Heath Statkus is a trial lawyer who represents individuals and families in medical malpractice, catastrophic injury, and other serious negligence cases where an injury has occurred. A former federal prosecutor and longtime Chief of the Civil Division at the United States Attorney’s Office, Shannon brings more than two decades of courtroom and litigation experience to high‑stakes civil matters involving life‑altering injuries, complex medicine, and professional negligence. She also represents individuals and businesses in federal investigations and regulatory matters. 

Before entering private practice, Shannon served for more than eighteen years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Georgia, ultimately rising to Chief of the Civil Division, where she led the district’s civil litigation for nearly a decade. In that role, she served as lead counsel on some of the United States’ most complex and high‑exposure civil matters, including catastrophic medical malpractice cases and Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”) litigation involving multimillion‑dollar claims. Shannon also handled challenges to federal agency actions and advised senior leadership across multiple federal agencies—including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Bureau of Prisons—on litigation risk, regulatory compliance, and strategic case resolution. Shannon also handled asset forfeiture matters in her practice at the United States Attorney’s Office. 

Shannon’s work resulted in numerous favorable outcomes for the United States, including defense verdicts at trial, dispositive rulings, and negotiated resolutions in matters involving significant financial and operational exposure. She defended a civil rights case that resulted in a complete jury verdict for her clients in less than thirty minutes.

As Chief of the Civil Division, Shannon supervised attorneys responsible for the district’s full civil docket, including FTCA matters, False Claims Act cases, affirmative civil enforcement actions, employment litigation, constitutional tort claims, administrative law challenges, asset recovery, and federal program litigation. She served as the district’s primary advisor on medical malpractice and health care liability and regularly coordinated with agency counsel, medical centers, and federal leadership on risk assessment and litigation strategy.

Shannon has extensive experience working with medical experts across specialties, managing large‑scale discovery, and navigating the intersection of medicine, science, and federal law. Her litigation background includes jury and bench trials in state and federal courts, evidentiary hearings, and appellate briefing before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

In addition to her civil practice, Shannon worked closely with criminal prosecutors and agency investigators on parallel civil‑criminal matters, including health care fraud, Controlled Substances Act enforcement, and regulatory compliance issues. She received certificates of appreciation from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of the Army for her work on complex investigations.

Throughout her career, Shannon has been recognized for her leadership, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. She has trained agency counsel, presented to federal medical centers, and served as a resource on the FTCA, medical malpractice, and federal civil practice. She also supervised and nominated multiple Assistant United States Attorneys and trial teams for the Department of Justice’s prestigious Director’s Award.

Shannon graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science, also magna cum laude, from the University of South Carolina and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. After law school, she clerked for the Honorable William P. Keesley of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of South Carolina. She later served as a prosecutor for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, where she handled major felony cases including armed robbery, manslaughter, and child sexual abuse prosecutions.

Today, Shannon brings the full weight of her federal experience, litigation judgment, and strategic insight to clients navigating complex civil disputes, medical malpractice matters, and federal regulatory challenges. Her practice is defined by meticulous preparation, clear‑eyed risk assessment, and a deep understanding of how to position cases for successful resolution.

Shannon lives in Aiken, South Carolina with her husband and two teenage daughters.

Representative Matters
  • Represented five federal clients in a trial brought by an inmate who alleged violations of the Eighth Amendment for cruel and unusual punishment based on allegations that the clients failed to intervene in an altercation. The jury returned a full defense verdict in under thirty minutes.
  • Represented United States in Federal Tort Claims Act medical malpractice trial against a federal medical center alleging negligence in performing hemicolectomy resulting in permanent injury to patients. The Court returned a full defense verdict. 
  • Represented United States and filed successful motions to exclude plaintiff’s experts and for summary judgment in Federal Tort Claims Act medical malpractice case against a federal medical center alleging negligence in treating mesenteric ischemia and peripheral artery disease, resulting in wrongful amputation to patient. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision on appeal. 
  • Represented the United States and filed a successful motion for summary judgment on the merits of a Federal Tort Claims Act medical malpractice case alleging that federal medical center personnel failed to properly monitor a patient on psychiatric wing of the hospital, resulting in the patient’s fall and causing his death.
  • Negotiated a beneficial settlement on behalf of the United States in a wrongful birth case against the United States and other private co-defendants where the infant suffered significant brain damage as an alleged result of a delayed delivery by providers at an Army Medical Center. The alleged delayed delivery resulted in a diagnosis of cerebral palsy necessitating lifelong care for all activities of daily living and permanent feeding tube. 
  • Led a False Claims Act prosecution against a defense contractor accused of overcharging the Department of Defense for fresh fruit and vegetables purchased under fifteen separate contracts, resulting in a multi-million-dollar recovery.
Government Service
  • Assistant United States Attorney for U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia –    2008 – 2025
  • Chief of the Civil Division for the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia – 2016 – 2025
  • Deputy Chief of the Civil Division for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia- 2014-2016
  • Branch Chief for the Augusta Office of the Southern District of Georgia – 2014-2016; 2022-2025
Awards, Recognition and Memberships
  • Certificate of Appreciation from Drug Enforcement Agency 
  • Certificate of Appreciation from Department of the Army
  • Filter Team Review Policy (Department of Justice) 
  • Guest lecturer on Procurement of Experts in Medical Malpractice Cases (Department of Justice) 
  • Guest lecturer on Structured Settlements in Catastrophic Injury Cases (Department of Justice)