Overview
Emotions can run high in inheritance and other trusts and estates disputes. When they do, Shira Shapiro helps her clients shoulder their burdens and achieve meaningful results. Committed to serving clients from all backgrounds, Shira’s practice has a particular focus on helping clients successfully navigate the complex world of inheritance and other wealth management conflicts.
Shira understands the choices and case strategies that deliver success. Shira has an enhanced capacity for parsing controlling laws and fully evaluating the legal issues often found at the core of estate and wealth management disputes. Adept at time and resource management, Shira can also help clients realistically assess their situation and implement effective case planning and case management tactics.
Shira represents the entire spectrum of Trust and Estate clients, including individuals and families, beneficiaries, charitable organizations, closely held family enterprises and their members, corporate fiduciaries, conservators, guardians, nonprofits, and personal representatives. Shira has handled cases in Minnesota and in courts across the country. Before attending law school, Shira worked with a litigation and trial consulting company, consulting trial teams from national law firms on presentation and trial theme strategies.
Shira often serves as pro bono counsel, a role in which she works on asylum cases with the Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, advises nonprofits, and has represented individuals in matters involving the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. She currently serves as the Public Service Committee Chair for the Twin Cities Cardozo Society, putting into practice the organization’s strongly held commitment to giving back to the community. Shira was selected to be part of the prestigious Twin Cities Harry Kay Leadership Institute and has served on the firm's Hiring Committee. Shira serves as an Adjunct Professor at Mitchell Hamline College of Law teaching courses including International Business Transactions, Bankruptcy, Commercial Law, Contracts, and Deals and Dispute Resolution.
Credentials
Education
- William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude; William Mitchell Law Review, Executive Editor; Staff Member
- Franklin & Marshall College, B.A., English and American Studies, cum laude
- Rothberg School for International Studies, Jerusalem, Israel
Recognition
- Named a "Woman of Promise" by the Minneapolis Jewish Federation's Pearl Society (2022)
- Named a “Minnesota Rising Star,” Super Lawyers (2019)
- Recognized by the Twin Cities Cardozo Society for “outstanding legal achievements” on behalf of the society’s pro bono clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul (2017)
- Selected for inclusion in the Harry Kay Leadership Institute (2016-2018)
- Named a “North Star Lawyer” by the Minnesota State Bar Association for providing at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services (2013-2014, 2016-2018, 2022-2023)
-
ABA Commission on Domestic Violence Writing Competition, First Place (2009)
- CALI Awards of Excellence for Torts II, Negotiation, Work of the Lawyer
Community
Civic
- Twin Cities Cardozo Society, Chair, Public Service Committee (2012-present)
- The Advocates for Human Rights, Volunteer Attorney (2011-present)
- William Mitchell Alumni Mentor (2011-2012)
News & Insights
In the News
Speaking Engagements
Legal Insights
Speeches
- Representations of Wealth Planning and Conflict in Film and Literature: What Can We Learn from Such Depictions?
Robins Kaplan LLP Wealth Planning, Administration, and Disputes Annual CLE, Webinar (October 7, 2020) - Case Study: An Examination of Liability and Risk Factors—From Farm to Table
Food and Beverage Litigation, Compliance, and Regulatory Exchange, Chicago, Illinois (September 29, 2016) - Bridging Cultural & Racial Gaps in Mediation of Low-Income Housing Court Disputants
Faculty and Student Presentation, William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota (2009) - Mediation in Minnesota’s Housing Court
Minnesota CLE, University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota (2008) - Mediation To Promote Equal Justice: Mediation in Minnesota’s Housing Court
4th Judicial District, Hennepin County, Legal Scholarship for Equal Justice (2008)
Additional Resources
Issue Editor, Global Considerations for Estate Planning
Spotlight (Vol. 4, No. 3) (Fall 2019)
Spotlight (Vol. 2, No. 4) (Winter 2017)
Practices
Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
