Megan Shoell is an associate with Schaerr | Jaffe LLP. Her interest in appellate law began in law school, where she won first place in a national moot court competition and succeeded in winning a grant of certiorari from the United States Supreme Court as part of a SCOTUS litigation clinic. Following law school, she clerked for Judge Jay Bybee on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where she witnessed firsthand the importance of effective brief writing and appellate advocacy. That experience now guides her practice as she strives to persuasively frame and present legal issues.

Education

  • University of Virginia School of Law (J.D.)
    • Order of the Coif
    • Hardy Cross Dillard Scholar
    • Virginia Law Review, Articles Editor
    • Supreme Court Litigation Clinic
  • Brigham Young University (B.S.)
    • Magna cum laude
    • Valedictory Commencement Speaker
    • Presidential Scholar

Clerkship

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Judge Jay S. Bybee)

Admissions

  • Utah
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

*Not admitted to the D.C. Bar. Admitted to the Utah State Bar and practicing under the supervision of D.C. Bar members pursuant to Rule 49(c)(8).

U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission

Last week the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously decided Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission et al. in favor of the Catholic Charities Bureau, as Schaerr | Jaffe attorneys had urged the Court to do in an amicus brief filed on behalf of eleven major religious organizations […]

Schaerr | Jaffe files lawsuit against DHS on behalf of James A. Murphy

Earlier today, Schaerr | Jaffe filed a Freedom of Information Act complaint against the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of James A. Murphy.  Through this lawsuit, Mr. Murphy seeks documents in the possession of DHS regarding the identity of the creator of Bitcoin who used the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto.” The […]

Oral Argument Presented in Bilyeu v. UT-Battelle

On February 6, 2025, Schaerr | Jaffe partner Brian Field presented oral argument in the Sixth Circuit on behalf of Appellants in Bilyeu v. UT-Battelle.  In this case, Appellants challenge UT-Battelle’s failure to provide reasonable accommodations to its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. 

Schaerr Jaffe LLP Succeeds in Challenging $1 Million Punitive Damage Award for Client Mark Steyn

On March 4, 2025, the firm achieved a significant victory for author and commentator Mark Steyn.  A year ago, a jury in the District of Columbia returned a verdict finding that Mr. Steyn had defamed climate scientist Michael Mann in a blog post.  The jury awarded just $1 in nominal […]