Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023 Sean Shaw is an award-winning trial attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Insurance Law and is a fearless advocate for clients inside and outside of the courtroom. Born and raised in Tallahassee, Sean is a resident of the Tampa Bay community. He graduated from Princeton University in 2000 with an A.B. in Politics and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2003.
In 2008, he was appointed Florida's Insurance Consumer Advocate by Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink. In that capacity, he managed a team of fifteen state employees dedicated to protecting Florida families and businesses on insurance matters. With more than a decade of experience representing policyholders throughout Florida, Sean is a public champion for consumers as the founder of Policyholders of Florida, a statewide consumer advocacy coalition. He has been a passionate advocate for policyholders both as an attorney and as a legislator, notably serving as the Democratic nominee for Florida Attorney General in 2018, the first African American nominee for Attorney General in Florida's history.
In August 2016, Sean was elected State Representative for Florida House District 61, representing East Tampa, Ybor City, Progress Village, Seminole Heights, and parts of West Tampa. During his legislative service, he focused on consumer protection, education, and community advocacy. He has remained deeply involved in mentoring young people and supporting efforts to improve educational opportunities for Florida's students.
Sean is a member of St. Johns Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the Hillsborough Education Foundation, the Saturday Morning Breakfast Group, the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs, the George Edgecomb Bar Association, and numerous other civic organizations. He is admitted to practice law in Florida and Washington, D.C., and is admitted to appear before Florida's state and federal courts. Sean is also the proud son of the late Leander J. Shaw Jr., the first African American Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
