Firm History, by Shawn McMillan
Inspiration
Our firm began in the dining room of a small home in west Charlotte. It was the fall of 2012, and my wife and I had just adopted our second daughter. YooRan was getting used to her new family and her new country, having been born in South Korea. Her older sister, NiuNiu, had come home from China only two years earlier. My beautiful and brave daughters are my inspiration and heroes. So I honored them in McMillan PLLC’s logo.
The Lotus
In Beijing, the Forbidden City has a history stretching back to 1420 A.D. Upon its completion, it was the Chinese imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty. The first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was born in Anhui Province — the same Province where NiuNiu was born.
Among the Forbidden City’s rich artistic treasures is a green tile wall depicting golden lotus flowers. Our firm adopted this symbol due to its meaning in Asian culture. A lotus blooms despite unfavorable conditions, rising from the dark, murky bottom of a pond to display its delicate beauty on the water’s surface. It is because of this that the lotus symbolizes both resilience and beauty. Knowing the beauty of my daughters and what they have overcome, I knew of no better symbol to honor them.
From Ancient History to Modern Day
Using the inspiration of my daughters, I set out to build a firm that would provide sophisticated, responsive legal services in our areas of practice. Having begun my legal career with a Wall Street firm that has global offices, I have experience with the most complex financial and business transactions one can imagine. My mission is to provide the same level of service and expertise that I provided to large international companies to each of our clients today. The economic climate has shifted with even greater demands and complexity than even a few years ago. McMillan PLLC is dedicated to helping our clients succeed in the modern business environment which rewards agility and expertise.
A “New” Home
The firm no longer operates from the dining room of my former home. Our firm has a “new” home — one that was built in 1906. The Historic Jamison House was built by Thomas Preston Jamison and Dora Jordan Jamison. One of the Jamisons’ four daughters, Thomascena, was born in 1913. She spent her childhood in the home and, following her time in Chicago as a teacher, spent her retirement in the home as well. Thomascena passed away in 2015 at the age of 102, leaving the home to dear friends and her beloved church. We purchased the home from them that same year and feel a deep sense of responsibility to care for and preserve this special home.
The office is located just outside of Uptown along the new streetcar line being constructed along the Trade Street and Beatties Ford Road corridor. We are nearing completion of renovations to the historic property and cannot wait to share it with our clients and friends. We continue to grow and thrive because of our wonderful clients and look forward to what the future holds.