CHICAGO – Nov. 6, 2017 – Freeborn & Peters LLP is pleased to announce that Partner John Shapiro is the recipient of the 2017 Leadership Excellence in the Law Award bestowed by the National Diversity Council and the Illinois Diversity Council. He received the award at the Councils’ 4th Annual Illinois Leadership Conference, held October 31. As part of the recognition, Mr. Shapiro also participated in a discussion on building high-performance teams.

“I am grateful for this recognition,” Mr. Shapiro said. “I plan to continue to invest my time in work that improves the lives of those from diverse populations, focusing particularly on the underserved and others in need.”

The Leadership Excellence in the Law Award recognizes attorneys who have distinguished themselves through their leadership, resolve, and outstanding achievements for the benefit of their clients and their communities. Among other criteria by which the councils evaluate nominees for the award, the attorney must receive a high degree of peer recognition for leadership excellence and professional knowledge; exemplify a noteworthy commitment to fairness, equity and justice in client representations and professional collaborations; maintain a superior level of integrity and dignity across the full spectrum of legal dealings and responsibilities; and demonstrate commitment to pro bono and community service.

Mr. Shapiro is a Partner in Freeborn’s Complex Litigation Practice Group and is Co-Chair of the firm’s Food Industry Team. He also serves as Chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and as a member of its Diversity and Inclusion Committee and its Professional Review Committee. In addition, Mr. Shapiro serves as general counsel of Inspiration Corporation, a Chicago-based nonprofit that helps people who are affected by homelessness and poverty to improve their lives and self-sufficiency through the provision of employment training and placement, housing and other social services. In his most recent role, Mr. Shapiro is a member of the Board of Directors of Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network, a new non-profit focused on creating a collaborative working environment for food and beverage manufacturers to, among other initiatives, drive inclusive economic growth and workforce development in Chicago area communities in need. Chicagoland Food’s mission is to turn the Chicago into the Silicon Valley of the food and beverage industry in a way that benefits community members through career development and employment opportunities and bolsters communities through economic development.

The National Diversity Council is the first non-profit organization to bring together the private, public and non-profit sectors to discuss the many dimensions and benefits of a multicultural environment. For more information about the 4th Annual Illinois Leadership Conference, visit http://www.illeadershipconference.com/2017/.

ABOUT FREEBORN & PETERS Freeborn & Peters LLP is a full-service law firm, headquartered in Chicago, with international capabilities and offices in Springfield, Ill.; Richmond, Va.; New York City; and Tampa, Fla. Freeborn is always looking ahead and seeking to find better ways to serve its clients. It takes a proactive approach to ensure its clients are more informed, prepared and able to achieve greater success – not just now, but also in the future. While the firm serves clients across a very broad range of sectors, it has also pioneered an interdisciplinary approach that serves the specific needs of targeted industries.

Freeborn is a firm that genuinely lives up to its core values of integrity, effectiveness, teamwork, caring and commitment, and embodies them through high standards of client service and responsive action. Its lawyers build close and lasting relationships with clients and are driven to help them achieve their legal and business objectives.

For more information, please visit www.freeborn.com.