Sharhonda Okonkwo is a fierce advocate for neurodivergent children and their families — a commitment rooted in her own family's experience and in watching the many people in her life navigate the search for the right advocate at every stage, from early diagnosis through adulthood. That experience shapes both her legal practice and her sense of purpose: ensuring that families of neurodivergent and special needs children have a clear, protected plan for the future. Through her special needs practice, Sharhonda helps parents and caregivers build the legal safeguards — special needs trusts, guardianship planning, and long-term care provisions — that let them plan for their child's future with confidence rather than uncertainty. She also helps families navigating the complexities of the school system and assists with implementing 504s, IEPs, and getting the necessary supports in place to ensure success for every child.

With 15 years of experience in contracts, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance, Sharhonda also provides business-minded legal counsel grounded in deep expertise in financial services regulation and commercial transactions. She partners with clients to deliver practical, strategic solutions that protect their interests and position them for growth.

Before founding Okonkwo Law, Sharhonda worked in Legal, Compliance, and Risk roles for several of the largest global banks. She focused on proactively identifying and resolving operational and regulatory risk issues, promoting risk awareness, and ensuring robust control programs were in place.

Beyond her practice, Sharhonda enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and children. She is dedicated to serving her community and serves as a Girl Scout Troop Treasurer and is former Board President of the Chicago-based Neighborhood Parents Network. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a double minor in Sociology and Business from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctor from WMU–Thomas Cooley Law School.