What did the Court decide?

The Court accepted Woods's petition to voluntarily surrender her law license and ordered her name removed from the rolls, effectively disbarring her.

Why was her license surrendered?

Woods was convicted of a federal felony (conspiracy to commit wire fraud), which she admitted violates Rule 8.4(a)(2) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.

Who is affected by this decision?

Shaquandra A. Woods is affected; she is no longer authorized to practice law in Georgia and must comply with Bar Rule 4-219(b).

Can this decision be appealed?

This is a final order of the Supreme Court of Georgia accepting voluntary surrender; further review would be unusual but any post-decisional motions for reconsideration under Court rules may be possible.

In the Matter of Shaquandra A. Woods

Docket S26Y0386

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OtherAffirmed

Filed: May 5, 2026 · yesterday
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Court: Supreme Court of Georgia
Type: Opinion
Case type: Other
Disposition: Affirmed
Citation: No. S26Y0386 (Decided May 5, 2026)
Docket: S26Y0386

Review of a petition for voluntary surrender of a law license following a federal felony conviction and unsuccessful appeal.

Summary

The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted Shaquandra A. Woods’s petition for voluntary surrender of her law license after she admitted a felony conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court and acknowledged violating Rule 8.4(a)(2) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. The court treated the voluntary surrender as equivalent to disbarment, referencing recent precedents where felony convictions led to the same sanction. The Court ordered that Woods’s name be removed from the rolls of persons authorized to practice law in Georgia and reminded her of her duties under Bar Rule 4-219(b).

Issues Decided

Whether the Court should accept an attorney's petition for voluntary surrender of her license after admitting a felony conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Whether voluntary surrender in this context is equivalent to disbarment under Rule 8.4(a)(2).

Court's Reasoning

Woods admitted her December 8, 2023 federal conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which is a felony and violates GRPC Rule 8.4(a)(2). Given that admission and controlling disciplinary precedents accepting voluntary surrender where attorneys had felony convictions, the Court found voluntary surrender tantamount to disbarment to be an appropriate sanction. The Court therefore ordered removal of her name from the rolls and reminded her of duties under Bar Rule 4-219(b).

Authorities Cited

Rule 8.4(a)(2) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct
In the Matter of Bui322 Ga. 462 (2025)
In the Matter of Huber320 Ga. 314 (2024)
In the Matter of Hardwick315 Ga. 840 (2023)
Bar Rule 4-219(b)

Parties

Petitioner: Shaquandra A. Woods
Respondent: State Bar of Georgia
Judge: Per Curiam, Supreme Court of Georgia

Key Dates

Federal conviction date: 2023-12-08
Eleventh Circuit affirmance: 2025-05-14
En banc review denied: 2025-07-21
Petition for voluntary surrender filed: 2025-10-21
Supreme Court decision: 2026-05-05

What You Should Do Next

1
Comply with Bar Rule 4-219(b)
Woods should follow the duties and procedures required by Bar Rule 4-219(b) for attorneys who are no longer authorized to practice.
2
Consider motions for reconsideration
If there are grounds, Woods may consult counsel about filing a motion for reconsideration under the Supreme Court's rules, though the Court noted acceptance of the petition.
3
Notify clients and close matters
If not already done, Woods should ensure clients are notified and active matters are properly transferred or closed in accordance with professional obligations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Court decide?: The Court accepted Woods's petition to voluntarily surrender her law license and ordered her name removed from the rolls, effectively disbarring her.
Why was her license surrendered?: Woods was convicted of a federal felony (conspiracy to commit wire fraud), which she admitted violates Rule 8.4(a)(2) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.
Who is affected by this decision?: Shaquandra A. Woods is affected; she is no longer authorized to practice law in Georgia and must comply with Bar Rule 4-219(b).
Can this decision be appealed?: This is a final order of the Supreme Court of Georgia accepting voluntary surrender; further review would be unusual but any post-decisional motions for reconsideration under Court rules may be possible.

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Full Filing Text

NOTICE: This opinion is subject to modification resulting from motions for reconsideration under Supreme Court
Rule 27, the Court’s reconsideration, and editorial revisions by the Reporter of Decisions. The version of the
opinion published in the Advance Sheets for the Georgia Reports, designated as the “Final Copy,” will replace any
prior version on the Court’s website and docket. A bound volume of the Georgia Reports will contain the final and
official text of the opinion.

In the
Supreme Court of Georgia
No. S26Y0386
In the Matter of Shaquandra A. Woods

Decided: May 5, 2026

PER CURIAM.
This is the second appearance before this Court of this dis-
ciplinary matter involving Shaquandra Woods (State Bar No.
579239), who has been a member of the State Bar since 2019.
Woods previously filed a Petition for Voluntary Suspension of Li-
cense Pending Appeal, in which she sought the voluntary suspen-
sion of her license to practice law pending the outcome of an ap-
peal of her criminal conviction. In that petition, Woods admitted
that on December 8, 2023, in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of Georgia, she was found guilty of conspir-
acy to commit wire fraud under 18 USC § 1349 — a felony — and
that her conviction violated Rule 8.4(a)(2) 1 of the Georgia Rules
of Professional Conduct (“GRPC” or “Rules”) found in Bar Rule 4-
102(d). Further, Woods represented that she would notify the
State Bar of the final disposition of her appeal within ten days of
that disposition. This Court accepted the petition and suspended
Woods from the practice of law pending the outcome of her appeal.
See In the Matter of Woods, 318 Ga. 609 (2024).
On October 21, 2025, Woods filed the instant Petition for
Voluntary Surrender of License. In this petition, Woods states

1 Rule 8.4(a)(2) provides that it shall be a violation of the GRPC for a
lawyer to “be convicted of a felony.” The maximum sanction for this Rule is
disbarment.
that on May 14, 2025, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals af-
firmed her conviction and on July 21, 2025, her request for en
banc review was denied. Further, Woods admits that she has vio-
lated Rule 8.4(a)(2). The State Bar filed its response, in which it
requests this Court to accept the petition.
Having reviewed the record, we agree to accept Woods’s pe-
tition for voluntary surrender of her license, which is tantamount
to disbarment, as this is an appropriate sanction for her admitted
violation of Rule 8.4(a)(2). See In the Matter of Bui, 322 Ga. 462
(2025) (accepting petition for voluntary surrender of license
where attorney’s felony convictions violated Rule 8.4(a)(2)); In the
Matter of Huber, 320 Ga. 314 (2024) (same); In the Matter of Hard-
wick, 315 Ga. 840 (2023) (same). Accordingly, it is ordered that
the name of Shaquandra Woods be removed from the rolls of per-
sons authorized to practice law in the State of Georgia. Woods is
reminded of her duties pursuant to Bar Rule 4-219(b).
Petition for voluntary surrender of license accepted. All the
Justices concur.