Ben Shapiro
Counsel
Ben Shapiro has been a bank lawyer for over forty years. Following his graduation from Northwestern University Law School in 1968, Ben joined the Law Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago where he later became Assistant General Counsel. In 1972, Ben left the FRB to become Midwest Regional Counsel for the FDIC. In that capacity, he regulated and supervised banks and was chief legal officer in the FDIC’s five state Midwest region.
After eleven years with the government, Ben went into the private practice of law. From 1979 through 2013, he was a partner at four prominent law firms in Chicago, including Sidley & Austin and Rudnick & Wolfe. At each firm, Ben headed the bank practice group. In 2012, Ben formed his own firm The Law Offices of Benjamin P. Shapiro where he is today.
Throughout his career, Ben has concentrated his practice on regulatory, general banking, and corporate governance issues. He has represented over eighty financial institutions, many In connection with regulatory enforcement issues. He has represented clients in numerous de novo bank applications as well as bank sales and acquisitions.
Among Ben’s career highlights are:
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Chairman of the Chicago Bar Association’s Banking Law Committee
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Director of several Chicago area community banks
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Founder of the Chicago Community Bank Capital Initiative
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Successful defense of regulatory enforcement actions
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Speaker and lecturer on banking law issues
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Adjunct Professor of Law, John Marshall Law School
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Successful defense of former bank director in lawsuit by FDIC
Ben lives in Deerfield, Illinois, with his wife Barbara. They have two children, five grandchildren and a Sheltie named Simon.