The right counsel does not just understand your legal situation or your business problem. They understand you: where you have been, what you have built, and what is actually at stake in what you are trying to do next. That is the practice Tavola was built to be.

Portrait of Shani Whisonant, Principal & Transition Architect at Tavola

Meet Shani Whisonant

Principal & Transition Architect

Employment Attorney. Business Strategist. Nearly Two Decades of Experience on Both Sides of the Table.

Shani Whisonant founded Tavola on a conviction she had carried for years before she acted on it: that forward-thinking leaders and the businesses they build deserve employment law counsel that is as sophisticated as their vision.

She holds both an AB and a JD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and has spent nearly twenty years working in and around complex employment law matters across the public and private sectors. Her career has included representing mid-market and large organizations, as well as senior-level executives who are transitioning from one role to the next. That dual vantage point is not incidental to the work. It is the foundation of it.

The goal of every Tavola engagement is resolution that is durable, strategic, and leaves the client better positioned than they were before. Every client receives a fully customized engagement, aligned from the first conversation and built entirely around their specific situation.

No templates. No matters taken simply because they came through the door.

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What We Believe

  • The best counsel gets out of your way

    Tavola is built for leaders who are rewriting the rules of their industries. That means delivering precise, intelligent legal and strategic work, then stepping back so you can move. The goal is never dependency. It is momentum.

  • Bespoke is not a marketing word

    It is a practice discipline. Every Tavola engagement is built from scratch around the facts, the relationships, the risk tolerance, and the objectives of the specific client. We do not begin with a framework and fit you into it. We begin with you.

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The Practice

Tavola LLC is a boutique employment law firm and strategic consultancy based in Bowie, Maryland, serving mid-market businesses, C-suite executives, and enterprise organizations throughout the region and beyond.

Shani Whisonant is licensed to practice law in Maryland and brings nearly twenty years of experience in labor and employment law, business litigation, and organizational counsel.

New engagements begin with a confidential conversation. If we are the right fit, we will show you exactly what the work looks like before anything is formalized.

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In Their Words

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    “What I appreciate most is that the time is taken to truly learn about you: your vision, your values, and what genuinely excites you about your work.”

    — Cheryl Norris | Food Blogger and Photographer, Bakes by Brown Sugar

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    “The guidance provided has had a lasting impact on my business. I am still drawing on what we built together, and I continue to seek that counsel.”

    — Oby Otti | Owner, The Cake Lady

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    “She has a rare ability to turn complex employment issues into opportunities for clarity and alignment.”

    — Martin Shepherd | Attorney, Mavacy PLLC