EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Shannon Dean Sexton is the son of Floyd and Mary Sexton, both of Grayson, Kentucky. Shannon Sexton attended East Carter High School. He graduated from high school with a perfect 4.0 Grade Point Average, he lettered in three varsity sports, and was the Valedictorian of his graduating class. He was also selected as a Kentucky Governor's Scholar, and participated in the Governor's Scholar Program - one of the highest honors bestowed upon Kentucky high school students. 

Shannon Sexton received a full academic scholarship to Morehead State University. He studied as a Pre-Law student, majoring in Government, with a minor in History. He was a collegiate Division I athlete. His junior year, he met the woman that later became his wife - then Suzanne Voss, now Dr. Suzanne Sexton. While attending college, Shannon Sexton knew that he wanted to become an attorney, and specifically a trial attorney. He enrolled in all available public speaking, voice, and theater classes in order to further develop his public speaking abilities. He graduated Summa Cum Laude, with a 3.98 Grade Point Average, earning his Bachelor of Arts. He was awarded both the Pre-Law Scholar of the Year Award, and the Government Scholar of the Year Award. These awards are among the highest honors bestowed upon graduates in these areas of study.

In the summer before attending law school, Shannon Sexton continued to hone his public speaking ability by acting professionally at the Jenny Wiley Theater in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. 

Shannon Sexton next attended the University of Kentucky College of Law. While attending law school, he was awarded multiple scholarships. He also continued to develop his skills in the courtroom by participating extensively in the University of Kentucky College of Law Mock Trial Program, where students learn how to try cases to a jury. Shannon Sexton excelled in the program, earning trial advocacy scholarships, winning the Kentucky Mock Trial Championship, and advancing to the National Regional finals in Detroit, Michigan. Shannon Sexton also excelled in other areas. As a member of the University of Kentucky Legal Clinic, he set a record for the highest recovery ever obtained in the Legal Clinic for a client. He obtained $69,000 for his first client in law school, the previous highest recovery was $3,500. He also became a Senior Staff Member of the Kentucky Law Journal, and was honored to be published in the Kentucky Law Journal. 

Shannon Sexton earned his Juris Doctorate, graduating Magna Cum Laude ranking among the top ten of his law school class. At the graduation ceremony, the faculty of the law school awarded Shannon Sexton one of the highest honors bestowed upon a graduate, the Faculty Cup. The Faculty Cup is awarded by all University of Kentucky law professors, and it is awarded to the one graduating student who the faculty feels has accomplished and contributed the most overall to the College of Law. Upon his graduation, Shannon Sexton was also inducted as a member of the Order of the Coif, an honor bestowed upon those who graduate in the top ten percent of their law school's graduating class.