Burnette appointed to employment law advisory board
Burnette Shutt & McDaniel co-founder M. Malissa Burnette is serving a three-year term on the Employment and Labor Law Specialization Advisory Committee.
The South Carolina Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization appointed her to the position, which runs through January 2023.
The employment law advisory board works with the state Supreme Court, the commission and other agencies to establish standards for attorney certification, recertification and decertification. The board also accredits continuing legal education courses employment law attorneys must take to earn recertification.
Burnette has practiced law for 43 years. She’s been a Supreme Court Certified Specialist in Employment and Labor Law for more than 25 years. Fewer than two dozen attorneys in the state have been certified for that long.
“Malissa truly is a leader in the practice area of employment law and at Burnette Shutt & McDaniel,” firm co-founder Nekki Shutt said. “This prestigious appointment clearly demonstrates the legal community’s high regard for her skills and experience.”
Employment law specialization
Employment law is one of only four specialties South Carolina recognizes. Less than a quarter of the members of the South Carolina Employment and Labor Law Section are certified specialists. Shutt, who’s been certified since 2011, is among them.
In order to achieve specialist status, attorneys must have practiced for at least five years. They must show substantial involvement in the employment law practice area and submit recommendations from five other attorneys. A written exam also is required.
Re-certification requires mandatory continuing legal education credits in the specialized practice area.
In addition to employment law, Burnette’s practice in Columbia includes civil and constitutional rights, and family law. She’s a highly skilled and experienced litigator who has represented clients at all level of state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. She’s also a certified federal mediator and experienced arbitrator.