As 1Ls, Shayna Cornell and David Gannone were in the same section, taking the same classes and absorbing the same foundation in torts, contracts and legal writing.

A keen interest in criminal law had brought each of them to law school, and just before the start of their 3L year, they discovered that they shared a passion for the subject – and for each other.

That’s when they started to date, launching an enduring relationship that is equal parts romance and fascination with law enforcement.

He became a cop.  She became a prosecutor.  They were married in 2012. Can you imagine the pillow talk?

“We don’t really try to get away from it too much,” admitted Shayna Gannone, who’s been on maternity leave from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office since the couple’s daughter was born in September. “It’s a huge part of our relationship. We’re both so interested in the criminal justice system.”

At moments, one or the other puts the shop talk to a halt, but Shayna said no one else could offer more empathy for the realities and the challenges of the other’s work.

“We can really talk honestly about that stuff, because it’s not a professional setting,” Shayna said. “He tells me what he dealt with the night before.  I have a special understanding, because I work with cops every day.”

(David, an officer with the Philadelphia Police Department, declined to be interviewed while awaiting an expected promotion to detective.  He placed second on a list of more than 1,000 test takers.)

Shayna might opt to give up the rigors of a Philly-Manhattan commute when she returns to work, but she will most certainly go back to prosecuting crime.

“I love being able to be on the side of what’s right and fight for justice,” she said.  “I feel like I was doing what I was meant to be doing.”

As a student, Shayna had assumed she would work as a criminal defense attorney.

But after her co-op placement with Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Susan Gantman, Shayna completed an internship with the Philadelphia D.A.’s office, and the wheels came off the wagon.

“Being on the prosecution side changed my viewpoint,” she said.  “Working as a prosecutor gave me the opportunity to directly impact the community and make it a safer place.”

In Manhattan, Shayna has had terrific colleagues and opportunities to handle a wide range of crimes, from identity theft to fraud and violent crimes.  She was just starting to train for homicide cases before going on maternity leave.  

She enjoys every aspect of prosecution, from working with police to interviewing witnesses to picking juries.

“A lot of people hate jury selection. It’s awkward, trying to get a whole bunch of people to answer questions for you,” she said.  “I always really enjoy it. It’s interesting to meet people in Manhattan who came from different parts of the world.”

And often enough, globe trotters are victims, too.  The challenges of interviewing non-English speaking crime victims or those who assume prosecutors won’t care enough to represent their interests are surpassed by the profound satisfaction that comes from taking perpetrators off the streets.

Take the man from Yemen who’d been held up at gunpoint.  Even after he’d returned to the safety of his hometown, Shayna Gannone persuaded him to come back to New York to testify. 

By the time the victim boarded a return flight to Yemen for the second time, the gunman had been convicted and locked up.