About Sheila

Sheila Wilkinson comes from a unique, highly educated and incredibly resilient foundation. Her drive, motivation and passions inspire others. She strives to give others that “edge” they need to aspire to their true potential, regardless of their past obstacles. At a young age, she exceeded all expectations after her parents’ early deaths, raising her much younger sister, and consistently strives for excellence. She now succeeds and prospers in every venture in which she partakes, bringing her real-life experience and advanced knowledge to each and every individual, organization and group she is involved within.

Sheila graduated from the University of New Orleans in 1997 with her Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology, with a minor in Women’s Studies. From there, she went on to Tulane University, where she earned a Master’s in Social Work in 2005. After surviving the perils of New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast in late 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, she returned to New Orleans with the intention of becoming a more active participant in the global community. Her legal interests led her to enter Loyola University College of Law in 2006.

Attorney

While at Loyola, Sheila studied abroad in Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg and Paris, earning an International Legal Studies Certificate in doing so. For ten years, she ran a law firm and coordinated complex multi-district litigation and class actions. Then, she graduated in 2009 and opened her own legal and consulting firm in 2010. Her global experiences while at Loyola Law prompted her to start an Advanced LL.M. in International and European Law program at the Institute for European Studies at the VUB in Brussels, Belgium in 2013. She completed the program in 2014, magna cum laude. Specializing in International and European Business Law, Sheila focused her thesis on the EU and US Competition/Antitrust Partnership.

Sheila’s current work and within her former firm as Project & Litigation Manager/Attorney has prepared her for most any challenge that comes her way. She currently focuses on Corporate Law, Competition/Antitrust, Litigation Consulting, Complex Litigation (Class Actions and Multi-District Litigation), and in an attempt to provide legal services to those in dire need, she offers limited Family Law services.

Sheila is licensed in all Louisiana State Courts, as well as the US Federal Court of the Eastern District. She intends to apply for admission to the New York and D.C. Bars, and then to move toward admission as a qualified foreign lawyer to the Belgian and UK bars. Thanks to her Carte Professionnelle, Sheila splits her time between the US and Brussels, Belgium; she has the right to work in Belgium as a consultant, professor and legal professional, and has clients in Brussels and Waterloo.

Social Worker & Educator

Sheila teaches at Loyola University (New Orleans) and at UBI (Brussels), and also teaches social workers and lawyers in Continuing Education seminars. She also taught at the University of Phoenix (Metairie) for many years prior to the campus closing.

At Loyola, Sheila teaches undergraduate Design students on the ins-and-outs of the Business of Design, from contracts to systems and processes to meditation. It’s a holistic class, focused on providing a foundation and plan for each Designer’s success.

At UBI, Sheila guest lectures on a variety of topics to executive undergraduate and graduate business students, including “Introduction to EU Competition Law,” “Effective Time Management for Entrepreneurs” and “Internet and Human Rights.” She also teaches an International and European Business Law course for the MBA program.

At the Metairie Learning Center for the University of Phoenix, Sheila taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Contemporary Business Law, Ethics and Social Responsibility, Human Resource Risk Management, Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving, Business Law for Consultants and Employment Law. She is also approved to teach Essentials of Psychology, Psychology of Personality, State and Local Political Processes and four Criminal Justice courses in theory, mental health, crisis intervention and case management services.

In addition to teaching substantive topics, Sheila incorporates hands-on learning and activities into each and every presentation, speaking engagement and continuing education seminar, ensuring that all of the learning styles are met with every opportunity to learn.

Lifelong Learner & Community Engager

A native English speaker, Sheila is currently advancing her knowledge in French and Dutch, and soon, to learn German, too. She has an extensive vocabulary and basic conversational level in Spanish.

Sheila currently serves on the Board of Directors of ArtSpot Productions. For six years prior to ArtSpot, she served on the Board of the World Affairs Council of New Orleans. There, she is integral to the programming and execution of one of the oldest nonpartisan, nonprofits in Louisiana. She also volunteers at the Alliance Française de la Nouvelle-Orléans in New Orleans.

She is a native Louisianian and a proud Member of the United Houma Nation. To reach her or to learn more about her current practice areas, feel free to use the contact form or to browse this site.