Malissa Burnette honored among Top 50 Most Influential in the Midlands
Congratulations to our co-founder Malissa Burnette, recognized in Columbia Business Monthly’s list of the Top 50 Most Influential in the Midlands.
It’s the third time she’s made the list. She also was honored last year, and in 2016, she and firm co-founder Nekki Shutt were cited for their work as part of the legal team fighting for marriage equality in South Carolina.
A long-time civil rights attorney who’s litigated several landmark cases, Burnette and her colleagues at Burnette Shutt & McDaniel have spent years defending women’s healthcare rights in South Carolina. She, along with firm co-founder Kathleen McDaniel and attorney Grant Burnette LeFever, have long been part of the legal team representing Planned Parenthood in state and federal cases stemming from the state’s draconian six-week abortion ban.
She’s a leader in the legal community as well, serving the South Carolina Bar in several positions. She’s currently a member of the Judicial Qualifications Committee and chairs the Pro Bono Committee for the Senior Lawyers Division. Honored in 2020 with the SC Bar Senior Lawyers Division Pro Bono Award, Burnette has donated countless hours of legal services to those who can’t afford attorneys.
Malissa has been certified as a South Carolina Supreme Court specialist in labor and employment law since 1993. She also is a certified federal mediator.
In addition to employment law and civil rights law, Malissa’s practice includes constitutional rights, discrimination, sexual harassment, and equal pay issues.
Her impressive resume includes a federal case that paved the way for women to attend state-supported military schools and a federal court case that made it clear girls can play contact sports in South Carolina public schools.
The annual Top 50 Most Influential in the Midlands list recognizes people who made an impact in government, business, education, economic development, legal, and non-profit sectors. The selection process begins with a nomination and includes independent research and interviews with other community leaders.