Henderson Franklin Attorney Shannon Puopolo Featured in 2026 Florida Super Lawyers Magazine Article

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., is pleased to announce that shareholder Shannon Puopolo is featured in the 2026 Florida Super Lawyers magazine in the article, “The Business of Kindness,” recognizing her commitment to community service, mentorship and leadership. She adds,

“This recognition is especially meaningful because it celebrates values that have guided me throughout my career. I have been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors, and I’ve always believed that one of the best ways to honor their investment is by mentoring others, serving our community and helping create opportunities for the next generation of lawyers.”

The feature highlights Puopolo’s belief that small acts of kindness can shape careers and strengthen communities. She reflects on the mentors who influenced her own path and the importance of creating opportunities for the next generation of lawyers through mentorship, teaching and community service. The article also recognizes her leadership following Hurricane Ian, when she helped establish the Hurricane Ian Legal Community Recovery Fund to assist members of Southwest Florida’s legal community, as well as her volunteer efforts mentoring students, coaching mock trial teams and supporting numerous charitable initiatives throughout the region.

At Henderson Franklin, Puopolo chairs the firm’s Recruiting & Retention Committee and co-chairs the Associate Committee, where she mentors summer associates and young attorneys while helping recruit professionals who share the firm’s commitment to community involvement. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Ave Maria School of Law, preparing future attorneys for successful legal careers.

Edward Canterbury, Henderson Franklin’s Managing Lawyer, shares,

“Shannon’s success has always been measured by more than the results she achieves for clients. She builds relationships, invests in the next generation of attorneys and generously devotes her time to strengthen our community. This recognition reflects who she is as a lawyer, mentor and leader, and we are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor.”

Puopolo focuses her practice on business litigation, with an emphasis on real estate disputes, creditors’ rights in bankruptcy and appellate law. She represents creditors in bankruptcy proceedings and clients in a wide range of complex commercial and real estate disputes, including foreclosure litigation, title insurance claims, partnership disputes, trust litigation, association law and residential and commercial evictions. Puopolo is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Mediator and an approved mediator for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Her leadership extends well beyond the courtroom. Puopolo is Immediate Past President of the Southwest Florida Bankruptcy Professionals Association and secretary of the Middle District of Florida Bankruptcy Pro Se Assistance Clinic. Throughout her career, she has held numerous leadership positions with legal and charitable organizations, including President of the Lee County Bar Association Foundation, where she helped lead fundraising efforts that generated more than $250,000 for local youth charities during her tenure as chair of the Foundation’s Annual Charity Golf Tournament.

Puopolo has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers as a Rising Star from 2012 through 2023 and as a Florida Super Lawyer since 2024. She has also been named among Gulfshore Business and Business Observer’s “40 Under 40” honorees and has been recognized by Naples Illustrated as a Top Lawyer in Business Litigation since 2018.

Puopolo earned her law degree from the Miami School of Law, graduating cum laude, and her undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She may be reached at 239-344-1116 or via email at shannon.puopolo@henlaw.com.