200 East Saint Julian Street
PO Box 9848
Savannah, GA 31412-0048
Tel 912.236.0261
Fax 912.236.4936
From Chambers USA: “Shawn Kachmar stands out for both his in-depth knowledge of labor and employment law and excellent client service skills. As one interviewee comments: ‘Your problems always seem to be his priority – no matter how small you are, you always feel like you are his most important customer.’” He also “does an exceptional job and brings a really proactive approach to litigation.”
Shawn practices in the areas of employment law, employee benefits, and business litigation. He has successfully represented public entities and private employers faced with claims under federal and state civil rights laws, as well as a wide variety of business disputes including breach of contract and intellectual property claims. Shawn also advises employers on employment agreements, executive compensation and ERISA matters, alternative dispute resolution, and restrictive covenants. He is a frequent speaker at employment law and human resources seminars and has served as an arbitrator in employment disputes.
Shawn is a member of the State Bars of Georgia and South Carolina. He is admitted to practice in all Georgia and South Carolina state courts; the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Eleventh and Fourth Circuits; the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Georgia; and the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. He is also a member of the American and Savannah Bar Associations.
Shawn received his B.S., with high distinction, in Public Policy from Pennsylvania State University in 1994 and his J.D., with distinction, from the Emory University School of Law in 1997. During law school, Shawn was a notes and comments editor for the Emory Law Journal and clerked for the Honorable Hugh P. Thompson, Associate Justice, Georgia Supreme Court. Following law school, Shawn clerked for the Honorable Ira DeMent, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama.
Shawn is active in the community. He is an elected member of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School Board and serves on the boards of several organizations, many devoted to education. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Georgia class of 2013 and the Leadership Savannah class of 2006. In his spare time he likes to referee soccer matches.
Emory University School of Law: J.D., with distinction, 1997
Pennsylvania State University: B.S., Public Policy, with high distinction, 1994
U.S. District Court: Middle District of Alabama, The Honorable Ira DeMent
Lawyer of the Year: Employment Law, 2023
The Best Lawyers in America named Shawn Kachmar the Lawyer of the Year for Savannah in the area of Employment Law. Only one lawyer in each practice area and designated city is honored as the Lawyer of the Year. The award reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned from his peers for his abilities, professionalism, and integrity.
Georgia Trend Magazine Legal Elite: 2015-2021
Georgia Trend Magazine’s annual listing of Georgia’s top attorneys, selected by their peers. The list includes eight practice areas: business law; personal injury litigation; criminal law; labor and employment; taxes, estates and trusts; bankruptcy and creditors’ rights; family law; and general practice/trial law.
Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Employment Law
Chambers USA ranks the leading firms and lawyers in an extensive range of practice areas throughout America.
Best Lawyers in America: Employment Law
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most highly-respected peer review guide to the legal profession worldwide. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.
Georgia Super Lawyers: Employment Litigation
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
Community STAR: 2012
The Savannah Technical College Foundation Community Council presents Community STARS awards once a year to individuals who have demonstrated service and dedication in the community or at work.
Savannah’s 40 Under 40 Business Leaders
Each spring, The Savannah Business Journal salutes 40 members of the community under the age of 40 for their business leadership, entrepreneurial savvy and dedication to the growth of the Chatham County area. These honorees represent a cross-section of the current generation of professionals who are blazing the trail for the future of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry.
Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star: Employment Litigation
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
Martindale-Hubbell: AV Rated
The Martindale-Hubbell® PEER REVIEW RATINGS™ are an objective indicator of a lawyer’s high ethical standards and professional ability, generated from evaluations of lawyers by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States and Canada.
Georgia
South Carolina
December 22, 2020
By Shawn Kachmar, special to Savannah Morning News The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is underway. Although companies can generally require vaccinations, whether they should is subject to debate. Many businesses…
February 17, 2016
By Shawn Kachmar, special to Business in Savannah It’s an exciting time for film production in Savannah. News about the thriving local entertainment industry and its positive economic impact seems…
March 19, 2014
By Shawn Kachmar, HunterMacleanSpecial to Business In Savannah In his State of the Union address this year, President Obama said that rather than waiting for Congress to raise the minimum…
Legal Awareness in the Workplace: Managing Employee Leave, Including FMLA, ADA & Workers Comp
Presented in Savannah, Georgia, on November 17, 2015, as part of Georgia Southern University’s series on Legal Awareness in the Workplace.
Legal Awareness in the Workplace: Social Media – What Human Resource Professionals Should Know
Presented in Statesboro, Georgia, on October 20, 2015, as part of Georgia Southern University’s series on Legal Awareness in the Workplace. Shawn reviewed the statutes/regulations concerning social media that are important to consider when choosing policies for the workplace.
Legal Awareness in the Workplace: Social Media Use – What Employers Should Know
Presented in Savannah, Georgia, on April 21, 2015, as part of Georgia Southern University’s series on Legal Awareness in the Workplace. Shawn gave a practical review of applicable statutes and regulations to help participants choose policies for their firms, and how to cover the risks and rules of social media in a work place setting.
Social Media & Privacy
Presented at Employment LAW: 2014 Comprehensive Guide, a seminar by the National Business Institute, in Savannah, Georgia, on December 10, 2014.
Employment Law: Beyond the Basics
A Sterling Education seminar presented by Wade Herring, Shawn Kachmar, Sarah Lamar, and Rebecca Sczepanski on June 3, 2014, in Savannah, Georgia.
Recent Developments and Emerging Trends
Presented at the Employment Law Update in Georgia seminar in Savannah, Georgia, on October 23, 2012.
Hiring Employees in Georgia
Presented at the Employment Law Update in Georgia seminar in Savannah, Georgia, on October 23, 2012.
What Every Non-Employment Attorney Needs To Know About Employment Law
Presented at the State Bar of Georgia Annual Meeting on June 21, 2012.
Employment Law From A to Z
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
HIPAA
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
White Collar Exemptions Under the FLSA
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Payroll Management
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Contracts for Artists
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Employment Law Issues in the Construction Industry
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Overview of the NLRA
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Hiring, References & Background Checks
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Protecting Company Trade Secrets
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Government Investigations
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Drafting Effective Employee Handbooks
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Wage & Hour Law
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
FLSA Overview
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Effective Restrictive Covenants
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Avoiding EEOC Claims
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
South Carolina Employment Law Update
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Georgia Employment Law
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Employment Case Law, Regulatory & Statutory Update
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Employee Leave Laws (Interplay of FMLA, ADA & Workers Comp)
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Immigration Compliance
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Social Media in the Workplace
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
Internal Investigations, Documentation & Discharge
Presented at multiple CLE, human resources, and management seminars.
As published by Savannah Morning News The law says employers can mandate their workforce get the COVID-19 vaccine, and employment attorney Shawn Kachmar is fielding phone calls from clients with…
This podcast contains complete audio from the 2016 HunterMaclean Critical Issues Forum on the Business of Film and TV Production. Moderated by HunterMaclean attorney Shawn Kachmar, panelists prominently involved in diverse aspects of the…
The HunterMaclean Critical Issues Forum on the Business of Film and TV Production featured a panel of Georgians prominently involved in diverse aspects of the film economy. Moderated by HunterMaclean attorney…
February 9, 2023
HunterMaclean, a business law firm with offices in Savannah and St. Simons Island, was recently honored with the selection of eleven attorneys as 2023 Georgia Super Lawyers and three attorneys…
August 18, 2022
HunterMaclean, a leading law firm with offices in Savannah and St. Simons Island, is pleased to announce that 28 attorneys from the firm were recently selected for inclusion in The Best…
June 24, 2022
HunterMaclean, a leading business law firm with offices in Savannah and St. Simons Island, was recently ranked in the exclusive Chambers USA 2022. Chambers USA is compiled through a research-based…
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