Burnette receives “Best Lawyers” Lawyer of the Year honors

Burnette Shutt & McDaniel co-founder M. Malissa Burnette is being honored as Lawyer of the Year for the Columbia area in Employment Law – Individuals in the new edition of “Best Lawyers in America.” It’s the fourth time she’s received that recognition and her fifth overall “Lawyer of the Year” award.

“When you have the pleasure of working with Malissa on a daily basis, it’s impossible to not be impressed with her determination to move law forward and her skill in doing so,” firm co-founder Nekki Shutt said. “It’s great to see that other attorneys in Columbia recognize that, too.”

Burnette also was recognized in four other practice areas in “Best Lawyers”: Civil Rights Law, Education Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Mediation.

A South Carolina Supreme Court-certified specialist in Employment and Labor Law since 1993, Burnette’s practice includes a wide range of workplace issues such as discrimination, sexual harassment, and wage claims. She’s litigated landmark cases at the state and federal level that have changed lives, including allowing women to attend state-supported military academies, permitting girls to play contact sports, and marriage equality.

Along with firm co-founder Kathleen McDaniel and attorney Grant Burnette LeFever, Burnette is part of the legal team that’s spent years challenging South Carolina’s abortion law.

Burnette’s top honor was part of a record showing for the firm in the 2025 edition of “Best Lawyers in America” and its companion guide, “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.” Overall, 11 attorneys were honored, including every partner at the firm. The attorneys were recognized in a diverse array of more than a dozen practice areas.

The “Best Lawyers” selection process includes peer review from attorneys in the same geographic region and practice area. Independent research verifies attorneys’ credentials. Lawyer of the Year honors go to the attorney in each practice area with the highest overall peer feedback among attorneys in their city.

About Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, PA

Located in Columbia’s historic business district, Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, PA’s attorneys are licensed to practice in all South Carolina courts and at all levels of federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. The firm represents clients in a range of areas, including employment, environmental, and education law. They also handle employee benefits and ERISA matters, privacy and data protection issues, and government matters such as eminent domain, land use, and zoning. The attorneys’ civil rights work includes discrimination, wrongful termination, and criminal justice civil rights. Additionally, the firm represents LGBTQ+ clients in a range of issues, including family law and name and gender-marker changes. Learn more at burnetteshutt.law.