Emma Shinn

Practice Focus

Emma Shinn is a Veterans Disability Attorney at Berry Law whose practice is rooted in more than three decades of military service, legal advocacy, and firsthand understanding of the systems that shape a servicemember’s transition out of uniform. A retired U.S. Marine Corps Major, former judge advocate, and enlisted Marine, Emma represents Veterans navigating the VA disability process with the perspective of someone who has lived the demands of military service, worked inside military justice and administrative systems, and personally experienced the challenges of preparing for retirement. She approaches Veterans law with a clear sense of mission: to help former service members secure the benefits they earned through sacrifice and service.

Emma’s path to Berry Law was deeply personal. As she approached retirement from the Marine Corps, she turned to the firm as a client to help navigate her own VA claims process. What she found in that experience—strong work ethic, close attention to detail, and a genuine passion for helping Veterans—convinced her that Berry Law was where she wanted to continue serving. She chose to join the firm over opportunities across the country because she saw a team culture and level of competency that aligned with her own high standards. For Emma, the transition to Berry Law was not a departure from service, but a continuation of it in a new form.

Role at Berry Law

At Berry Law, Emma applies the same disciplined, high-stakes advocacy that defined her military legal career to the representation of Veterans in disability claims and appeals. She brings a litigation mindset to every case, recognizing that VA claims often require careful record development, strategic issue-spotting, and forceful advocacy in a system that can feel technical, impersonal, and overwhelming. Her goal is not simply to move a file through the process, but to make sure the record reflects the full truth of a Veteran’s service and the impact it has had on that Veteran’s life.

What makes Emma especially effective in this role is the breadth of her military experience. She served more than 31 years in the Marine Corps, rising from the enlisted ranks as an anti-armor platoon sergeant to the rank of Major as a judge advocate before retiring in 2026. Because she has served as both an enlisted Marine and an officer, she brings a rare “boots-on-the-ground” perspective to her practice. She understands the culture, language, expectations, and burdens of service from multiple vantage points. That background helps her connect with clients on a level that goes beyond credentials. She understands the physical and mental tolls of military service because she has lived them.

Service to Veterans

Emma’s commitment to Veterans is also grounded in the kind of military career few attorneys can match. Her service included combat deployment to Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Phantom Fury, as well as operational assignments that spanned four continents from Okinawa, Japan, to the Pentagon. She also served with the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Kearsarge and participated in Operations Guardian Retrieval and Noble Obelisk. Additional assignments included Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia; and Headquarters Marine Corps at the Pentagon. Those experiences gave her a deep understanding of the operational realities, pressures, and lasting consequences of service.

Before becoming a judge advocate, Emma spent 11 years in the enlisted ranks as an anti-armor infantry leader. Later, as a Marine judge advocate, she represented servicemembers in courts-martial and other complex military legal matters. That work demanded the ability to advocate decisively in high-pressure settings, master difficult factual records, and protect clients whose futures depended on the quality of their representation. She now brings that same level of urgency and rigor to Veterans’ disability cases, understanding that these benefits are often critical to a client’s financial stability, medical care, and family wellbeing.

Background & Interests

Her record of service has been recognized through numerous military and civilian honors. Her military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Joint Services Commendation Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “V” for Valor and two Gold Stars, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Gold Star, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” for mobilization, Sea Service Ribbon (6th Award), and multiple expert weapons badges. Her civilian honors include the Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Civil Rights Award, the Colorado Women’s Bar Association Raising the Bar Award, the Colorado LGBT Bar Association President’s Service Award and Attorney of the Year distinction, the Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Power Award, and the LGBT Community Center of Colorado Visionary in Action Award.

Emma’s practice at Berry Law reflects the same values that defined her military career: service, preparation, accountability, and loyalty to the people she represents. For Veterans seeking an advocate who understands both the law and the life behind the claim, she brings uncommon credibility, compassion, and resolve.