Colleen N. Shea is a Partner in the Wilmington, North Carolina office of Cranfill Sumner, where she has built a reputation as a trusted and tenacious litigator. For more than 28 years, she has handled high-stakes and emotionally complex cases, and her experience regularly leads colleagues-both within the firm and at outside firms-to request her as co-counsel on challenging litigation.
When Cranfill Sumner expanded to Wilmington, Colleen transitioned from the Raleigh office and played a key leadership role in developing and mentoring the growing team. What began as a two-attorney office has now expanded to more than fifteen litigators, due in part to her dedication to professional development and training.
Colleen is a member of the firm’s Medical Malpractice, Premises Liability, and Professional Liability Practice Groups. Her practice focuses on defending catastrophic injury matters; representing healthcare and dental providers in malpractice actions; and advising mental health professionals facing allegations including boundary violations and sexual exploitation. She also represents physicians, therapists, nurses, and dentists before various state licensing boards. Colleen has tried cases across North Carolina and secured defense verdicts, dismissals, and favorable settlements in matters involving wrongful death, severe burns, brain injuries, and other high-exposure claims.
Her work has earned consistent recognition. Colleen is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Healthcare, Medical Malpractice Law, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (2016-2026). In 2019, she was inducted into the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only national organization committed to preserving and promoting the constitutional right to civil jury trials.
Beyond her legal practice, Colleen is deeply committed to service. She has served as a Board Member of the Cape Fear Rescue Mission, President and Board Member of the Wrightsville Beach Elementary Foundation, and a volunteer teacher and mentor in local schools, where she has coached students in geography and organized mock criminal and civil trials. She is also dedicated to supporting U.S. service members and veterans through local and national initiatives.
An avid dog rescuer, Colleen shares her home with two energetic canine companions-”two too many,” according to her husband. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and savoring a good glass of red wine.
Accomplishments
•Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
•Selected for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America: Lawyer of the Year 2021 in the field of Medical Malpractice Law
•Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in the field of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants (2016 - 2026); Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (2022-2026); Litigation - Health Care (2023-2026)
•Business North Carolina Legal Elite - Litigation (2023)
•Selected for inclusion in the 2017 Women in the Law by Best Lawyers Business Edition in the field of Medical Malpractice Law (2017)
•Selected for inclusion into American Board of Trial Advocates
Most Recent Posts
News
33 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2026
Thirty-three attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2026....
News
32 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2025
Thirty-two attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2025....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Featured in Law360
A case handled by Colleen Shea and Steven Bader was highlighted in a recent Law360 article....
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32 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2024
Thirty-two attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2024....
News
Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Listed Among 2023 Legal Elite
Twelve Cranfill Sumner LLP attorneys were recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as part of the magazine’s Legal Elite program. ...
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Colleen Shea Elected to NC ASHRM Board of Directors
Colleen Shea has been elected to the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Chapter of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (NC ASHRM). She will serve as a Member-At-Large and as chairperson of the chapter’s Public Relations & Marketing Committee for 2023-2024....
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25 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2023
Twenty-five attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2023....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys and Paralegals Volunteer for Mock Trial Competition
Attorneys and paralegals from the Charlotte and Wilmington offices of Cranfill Sumner LLP volunteered for regional Mock Trial competitions in their local areas on Feb. 5. They served as judges and jurors during the mock proceedings, which allowed high school students to participate in mock trial competitions and learn about the judicial process. ...
News
26 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2022
Twenty-six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2022....
News
CSH Law Attorneys and Staff Participate in Mock Trial Competition
On Feb. 5 and Feb. 6, Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) attorneys and staff members volunteered at the 29th annual NCAJ High School Mock Trial Competition which was held virtually. The attorneys and staff who participated were Deedee Gasch, Melanie Huffines, Levi Huston, Colleen Shea, and Emily Enojado....
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Colleen Shea Featured in WILMA Magazine
Colleen Shea, a Partner at Cranfill Sumner, was recently featured in WILMA magazine. “Law & Community” discusses Colleen’s career as a medical malpractice attorney at Cranfill Sumner....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Volunteer for Legal Aid Eviction Project
In May 2020, Legal Aid of North Carolina launched an effort to help North Carolinians who were struggling to pay rent and were facing eviction. Legal Aid paired available emergency financial support with a search for volunteer attorneys from across the state who could help negotiate past and future payments with landlords....
News
Colleen Shea Receives Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” Recognition
Colleen Shea of Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) was recently named the Best Lawyers 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” for Medical Malpractice Law-Defendants in the Wilmington metropolitan area. (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)...
News
27 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2021
Twenty-seven attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2021 (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)....
News
Colleen Shea Presents ASHRM Webinar
Colleen Shea was the featured presenter for the “The Dreaded Written Discovery Requests from Plaintiff” webinar on July 23. The webinar was presented by Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) and the North Carolina Chapter of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM)....
News
Martin and Shea Join American Board of Trial Advocates
John D. Martin and Colleen Shea have been invited to join the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a prestigious national association comprised of experienced trial lawyers and judges. Martin and Shea are Partners who are based in the Wilmington office of Cranfill Sumner LLP....
News
31 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2020
Thirty-one attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2020(Copyright 2019 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)....
News
Colleen Shea Volunteers at FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Event
On Nov. 9, Wilmington Partner Colleen Shea served as a volunteer at a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center for New Hanover County in Wilmington. Colleen was one of several volunteer attorneys who offered brief advice and counsel regarding landlord/tenant law, consumer law and insurance law. Wilmington and surrounding towns and counties sustained significant damage from Hurricane Florence and were declared federal disaster areas. ...
News
32 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2019
Thirty-two attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2019 (Copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)....
News
33 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2018
Thirty-three attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2018 (Copyright 2017 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC). Eight attorneys were selected for inclusion in the list for the first time....
News
Colleen Shea and Rebecca Knudson Featured in WILMA Magazine
Colleen Shea and Rebecca Knudson are listed in the August 2017 edition of WILMA Magazine. The August Spotlight column lists the Wilmington attorneys featured in the 2017 Women in the Law by Best Lawyers Business Edition and includes a quote from Colleen about her experience as a female attorney....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Recognized by Women in the Law List
Seven female attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently listed among the 2017 Women in the Law by Best Lawyers Business Edition. The list was printed in the Spring 2017 edition and recognizes female attorneys from each state....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Receive AV Rating From Martindale-Hubbell
Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) today announced that 11 attorneys have recently received an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell....
News
26 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2017
Twenty-six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 (Copyright 2016 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC)....
News
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Listed Among 2016 Women in the Law
Best Lawyers Business Edition featured Cranfill Sumner LLP attorneys among its Best Lawyers Business Edition 2016 Women in the Law list. This is the inaugural year for the Women in the Law list by the publication....
Result
Court of Appeals Upholds Defense Verdict for Medical Malpractice Claims, Holding that a Plaintiff Carries the Burden of Proof for Intervening Negligence
John Martin and Colleen Shea served as Defense Counsel for a recent in case in which the North Carolina Court...
News
28 Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2016
Twenty-eight attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2016....
Result
Martin and Shea Successfully Defend Regional Hospital
John Martin and Colleen Shea obtained summary judgment of a regional hospital in a case involving two separate visits to the Emergency Department at the hospital and patient admission to the hospital prior to her transfer to a tertiary care facility. ...
News
Landfall Living Profiles John Martin and Colleen Shea
John Martin and Colleen Shea, partners in the Wilmington Cranfill Sumner office, are featured in the December 2014 issue of Landfall Living in the Resident Profile....
News
Wrightsville Beach Magazine Features Cranfill Sumner Women Attorneys
Female attorneys, Regan Toups and Colleen Shea, of the CSH Wilmington office were featured in the Women in Business section of Wrightsville Beach Magazine. ...
Result
Shea Successfully Defends Registered Nurse in Work Related Injury Case
Colleen Shea obtained a dismissal for a Registered Nurse who helped care for a co-employee following an injury sustained on the job. The plaintiff alleged that the Nurse failed to treat a deep wound in the back of her ankle which resulted in infection and a rupture of her Achilles Tendon....
Result
Martin and Shea Receive Defense Verdict in Wrongful Death Case
John D. Martin and Colleen N. Shea won a defense verdict for a Psychiatrist and Physician’s Assistant in a wrongful death case involving over $700,000 in medical expenses. The case involved allegations of improperly prescribing a drug with a Black Box Warning at over twice the FDA recommended dose....
I have used Colleen Shea several times as a defense attorney. She is frank, honest and thorough. She represented me in all aspects of my case extremely well. I would not only use her services again bu...
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