Brian W. Shaughnessy

Brian William Shaughnessy, 76, returned unexpectedly to his heavenly home on July 21, 2015 due to complications from a stroke that occurred five years ago. A resident of Washington, D.C., he was born on September 29, 1938 in Fall River, Massachusetts to William Shaughnessy and Mildred Flynn, and raised in South County, Rhode Island.

Brian attended LaSalle Academy in Providence, RI, and received his B.A. at the University of Pennsylvania in 1960 and J.D. at Rutgers University in 1968. Brian came to Washington, DC as trial attorney through the Honors Program at the Department of Justice in the Civil Division in 1968. He was then selected to be an Assistant U.S. Attorney where he worked for ten years. During his time, he also served as the Deputy of Chief and Chief of the Fraud Division of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. In addition, he was an Honorary Member of the Company Fraud Squad of Scotland Yard and a lecturer at the FBI Academy for several years. Brian left the U.S. Attorneys Office in 1980 and started Shaughnessy, Gagner & Volzer, P.C. where he worked for the next thirty-five years. While in private practice, Brian was also a professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center and American University Law School. Brian had over forty cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals and State Appellate Courts, over ninety jury trials primarily in federal courts, and many arbitrations and administrative hearings. He provided legal representation to clients in Spain, Serbia, Ireland, Canada, China, Philippines, Kiribati, Nauru, and Great Britain.

Brian is survived by his wife Colleen Corrigan and family members Richard and Catherine Read, Maureen Shaughnessy (Warren Dunham), Thomas Flynn, Carolyn Casey, Rev. Michael Nagle, Nancy Nagle, Robert Rapoza, Ted Rapoza, James Rapoza, Maureen Flynn, Karen Bodington, many nieces and nephews, and the couple's loving pets.

His Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 10:00AM in the Waring-Sullivan Home of Memorial Tribute at Cherry Place, 178 Winter St., Fall River. Relatives and friends invited. Visiting hours prior to his service from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. Burial in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Fall River.