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Alumni

Shapiro 83L endows writing awards fund

A. Kenyatta Greer |

Emory alumnus Keith J. Shapiro 83L has contributed $50,000 to endow the Keith J. Shapiro Writing Awards Fund. Shapiro has been funding these awards for nearly 20 years, but he has made the decision to endow the fund to ensure its perpetuity.

The Emory Law Bankruptcy Developments Journal and the writing awards have become an important part of my life and are now part of a long and rich bankruptcy law tradition at Emory. I'm not sure what the future holds in store for me, but I wanted to make sure that I could continue to pay it forward.”

When the fund is full funded in 2020, two Keith J. Shapiro Writing Award winners will receive $1,000 awards, one for consumer bankruptcy writing and the other for corporate bankruptcy writing. His gift is given to inspire law students to pursue career opportunities in bankruptcy law. Since 2000, winners have received their awards at the annual Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal banquet.

Shapiro is the global vice president of global Greenberg Traurig, a 1900-attorney firm operating in 38 cities. He is also chairman of the Chicago office, national chairman of Strategic Recruitment and co-chair of the firm’s business reorganization & financial restructuring practice. Shapiro has 32 years of bankruptcy and restructuring experience. He appears worldwide in corporate bankruptcy matters and workouts representing troubled companies, financial institutions, creditors' committees, hedge funds and private equity funds.

He has further committed to training and assisting the next generation of lawyers by serving for many years as a member of Emory Law’s Advisory Board and as an advisor for the Emory Law Bankruptcy Developments Journal

Explaining his continuous alumni giving, Shapiro said, “I think it is important for alumni to not only make general gifts to Emory Law, but to also give directly to special projects to uniquely impact students who are especially deserving, either because of their financial needs or to recognize their unique accomplishments.” 


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