Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Announces Departure of Executive Director David Shapiro and Launches Executive Search
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2025
CONTACT:
Zindy Marquez
Director of Communications
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
zmarquez@clccrul.org
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Announces Departure of Executive Director David Shapiro and Launches Executive Search
CHICAGO, IL – Today, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, its Board of Directors, and staff announce that our Executive Director, David Shapiro, will be stepping down from his role in August 2025. Mr. Shapiro has accepted the position of President and Executive Director of the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center (MJC), where he spent a decade of his career.
Mr. Shapiro joined Chicago Lawyers’ Committee in January 2023, and led the organization through a period of renewed focus on racial and economic justice work. He helped steer Chicago Lawyers’ Committee through challenging financial times, strengthened relationships with funders, and increased the visibility of the organization and its work. Mr. Shapiro also supported the organization in launching its next strategic planning process to better position its programs, operations, and impact for the future during an uncertain environment in our country.
“David led the organization with strength, intelligence, and compassion during a time of transition and challenge. We are incredibly grateful for his unfaltering leadership, and we are excited to build on the foundation he helped strengthen as we begin our search for the next Executive Director,” said José Behar, President and Board Chair of Chicago Lawyers’ Committee.
The Board of Directors will soon begin a search process for the organization’s next Executive Director and remains committed to focusing and strengthening on our mission to secure racial equity and economic opportunity for all as well as working with our partners to advance our community-driven advocacy framework.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. It has been a privilege to work alongside such a passionate and brilliant team committed to community lawyering,” said Mr. Shapiro. “I’m leaving confident that this organization is well-positioned to continue its legacy of civil rights work. This work is more critical now than ever before.”
For 55 years, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee has produced important and impactful victories in fair housing, voting rights, public education, and other cornerstone civil rights cases. Today, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee provides legal representation through partnerships with the private bar and collaborates with community-based organizations to advance civil rights.
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Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights is a non-partisan, non-profit group of civil rights lawyers and advocates working to secure racial equity and economic opportunity for all. We provide legal representation through partnerships with the private bar, and we collaborate with grassroots organizations and other advocacy groups to implement community-based solutions that advance civil rights. For more information, visitwww.clccrul.org or call (312) 630-9744.