HHS Attorneys
Shayna Sonnier
Shayna earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and ultimately, a Juris Doctorate from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law. In 2010, she became a partner at Hunter, Hunter, & Sonnier, LLC., where she specializes in general litigation, family law, estate planning, and successions and is licensed in both Louisiana and Texas.
Early in her life, Shayna witnessed the value of a skilled attorney as her family faced a significant legal battle, and this experience inspired her to pursue a career in law. She is passionate about her faith, family, community, and work and volunteers her time as part of numerous organizations and associations. Peers will attest some of the many characteristics that set Shayna apart are both her ability to establish trust with her clients as well as her hands-on approach to every case.
In her free time, Shayna enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and animals, playing tennis, and traveling. Her favorite quote is, “We live as though the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be.”
- •House of Delegates Member (2020 – Present)
- Budget Committee (2010 – 2011; 2020 – Present)
- Access to Justice Commission Funding Committee (2019 – Present)
- Treasurer (2018 – 2020)
- Budget Committee Chair (2018 – 2020)
- Chair, JLAP Alternative Finance Committee (2019 – 2020)
- Access to Justice Commission, Member (2019 – 2020)
- District 4 Representative, Board of Governors (2013 – 2016)
- Past-Chair, Young Lawyers Council (2012 – 2013)
- Chair, Young Lawyers Council (2011 – 2012)
- Council Member, Louisiana State Law Institute (2011 – 2012)
- Board of Governors (2011 – 2012)
- Chair-Elect, Young Lawyers Council (2010 – 2011)
- Secretary, Young Lawyers Council (2009 – 2010)
- District 4 Representative, Young Lawyers Division (2007 – 2013)
- Member (2016 – 2019; 2020 – 2021)
- Grants Committee (2017 – Present)
- Fellow (2012; 2016 – Present)
- Chair, Development Committee (2019 – 2020)
- Chair, DV Grants Committee (2019, 2020)
- Chair, SWLA Community Partnership Panel (2019 – 2020)
- SWLA Community Partnership Panel (2016 – 2020)
- SWLBA, Member (2005 – Present)
- SWLBA, YLS President (2007, 2008)
- SWLBA, Executive Council (2007 – 2017)
- SWLBA, Secretary (2013)
- SWLBA, Treasurer (2014)
- SWLBA, President-Elect (2015)
- SWLBA, President (2016)
- SWLBA, Past-President (2017)
Edwin F. Hunter III
Edwin F. Hunter III graduated with honors from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2001 and then graduated cum laude from Tulane University School of Law in 2004. A seasoned corporate and transactional attorney, Mr. Hunter has been lead counsel on a broad spectrum of matters including nine figure corporate loans, commercial debt restructuring, and multiple private equity backed mergers and acquisitions.
Business Law
- Business LawMergers and acquisitions
- Litigation consulting
- International acquisitions
- Compliance
Becky Hunter
Becky is from Lake Charles and graduated from Sam Houston High School as valedictorian. She attended Texas A&M University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and graduated with Cum Laude honors. Upon graduation in 2004, she was selected to be a White House intern in the Office of Presidential Advance. Following this, she managed the SWLA regional office for U.S. Senator David Vitter.
In 2009, she graduated from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center, where in addition to her studies, she worked as a lobbying intern at the Louisiana Legislature. Despite going into this opportunity confident she wanted to be a lobbyist, in the process, Becky recognized her passion to advocate for people eclipsed that of advancing large-scale issues. This change in perspective fuels a truism she’s learned about life, “The best things that have ever happened to me are a result of something I thought I wanted not working out.”
Following graduation from law school in 2009, she worked as a law clerk for Judge Penelope Q. Richard in the 38th Judicial District Court, Cameron, Louisiana. She then joined The Sanchez Law Firm in Lake Charles where she began her practice in family law. After nine years there, she joined Hunter, Hunter, Sonnier, LLC. to further that practice and her specialization in complex divorce cases, community property partitions, highly-contested custody situations, and both step-parent and private adoptions.
When asked what she loves most about family law, she reflects, “The fact I can help people on their most visceral level. You don’t get more personal than fighting for custody of someone’s kids or their retirement accounts. It's amazing to go on that journey with clients.” Further, when it comes to adoptions, Becky adds, “I love the end result is the unification of a family. Guiding them though the process that finally, and officially, makes them a (legal) family feels like a superpower. The day an adoption is finalized feels like a birth in many ways - extended family is present the courtroom – there’s a lot of smiling, hugging, and, of course, happy tears. And you know you just witnessed a truly monumental moment. It's a high that never gets old.”
Becky is married to Nic Hunter, who serves as the mayor of Lake Charles and owns Villa Harlequin restaurant. Together, they have two children.
- Secretary, Family Law Section, SWLA Bar Association (2015 – Present)
- Board Member , Southwest Community Partnership Panel, LA Bar Foundation (2019 – Present)
- Board of Directors , SWLA Bar Foundation (2018 – Present)
- Treasurer, SWLA Bar Foundation (Present)
- “Top Lawyers in Acadiana”, Acadiana Profiles Magazine (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020)
- “Louisiana Rising Star”, Super Lawyers (2019, 2020)
- “2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”, Family Law, Best Lawyers, (2020)
- President, SWLA Bar Association (2019)
- President-Elect, SWLA Bar Association (2018)
- Board Member, Young Lawyers Section, SWLA Bar Association (2013 – 2017)
- Treasurer, SWLA Bar Association (2017)
- Secretary, SWLA Bar Association (2016)
- Member, Criminal Justice Committee, LA Bar Association (2013 – 2015)
- Member, Executive Counsel Board, SWLA Bar Association, (2014, 2015)
- Chairman, “Holiday Helping Hands”, SWLA Bar Association (2013, 2014)
- “President’s Award for Outstanding Service”, SWLA Bar Association (2014)
- Board Member, Acadiana Legal Services Corporation (2014)
- Student Attorney, Louisiana Legislature (Successfully passed $41.5M state appropriation bill to create and expand federally-qualified health centers)
- Junior, Senior Class Vice President, Texas A&M University
- Judicial Chair, Zeta Tau Alpha, Texas A&M University
