Judge Shannon M. Phillips was born in 1983 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Judge Phillips graduated from the University of Tennessee, summa cum laude, in 2005 with degrees in English Literature and Political Science. She attended Vanderbilt University Law School, where she served on the Vanderbilt Law Review.  Upon her graduation from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2008, she practiced civil litigation at Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, LLP in Dallas, Texas.  She relocated to South Carolina in June 2011, and practiced employment litigation at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. in Greenville, South Carolina until September 2013.  Judge Phillips then practiced general civil litigation at Talley Law Firm, P.A. in Spartanburg, South Carolina until June 2021, when she was appointed Master-In-Equity for Spartanburg County.  She also serves by designation of the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Special Circuit Court Judge for the 7th Judicial Circuit. 

Judge Phillips has been admitted to practice in the states of South Carolina and Texas, as well as the United States District Court- District of South Carolina, United States District Court- Northern District of Texas, United States District Court- Southern District of Texas, United States District Court- Eastern District of Texas, and United States District Court- Western District of Texas.  She is married with three children.