Sandra Shapiro
Sandra Shapiro was the first woman to be elected to partnership in Foley Hoag. Currently a senior partner and member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group, Sandra counsels clients on real estate financing, leasing and zoning matters, with particular emphasis on development issues. She has been recognized for her professional and personal accomplishments by inclusion in Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the East and Who’s Who of American Women.
Sandra crafts creative solutions to challenges in property transactions and redevelopment projects for such clients as Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, Arlington Redevelopment Authority, Watertown Redevelopment Authority and Brookline Housing Authority. Having served as director of the Massachusetts Government Land Bank (now the MassDevelopment Finance Agency) in numerous real estate development activities, including the redevelopment of Fort Devens. Sandra brings to her practice an insider’s knowledge and perspective of the public sectors role in major public projects.
In addition to her development work, Sandra represents major corporations and public authorities in land acquisition, financing, development and leasing of office, industrial and retail space. She also assists nonprofit organizations in real estate development and property tax abatement
Sandra serves as Treasurer and Director and member of the Executive Committee of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms, and is Former Chair of the association’s Real Estate Practice Group. Prior to joining Foley Hoag, she was a law clerk to Chief Judge Bailey Aldrich of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Bars and Court Admissions
- Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
- Supreme Court of the United States
Representative Experience
The following is a brief summary of Sandra's experience and accomplishments:
- Serves as counsel to Cambridge Redevelopment Authority for the Cambridge Center mixed-use project at MIT in Kendall Square with responsibility for the rezoning of 24 acres, developer selection, land dispositions and development or more than 2,000,000 square feet of office, hotel and retail space
professional / civic involvement
- Lex Mundi: Member, Board of Directors; Chair, Real Estate Practice Group
- Massachusetts Government Land Bank, now Mass Development Finance Agency: Former Director
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Former Member, Board of Bar Overseers
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Gender Bias Study Committee, Former Co-Chair, Gender and Economics Subcommittee; Former Member, Coordinating Committee
- Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts: Past President; Past Member, Board of Directors
- Massachusetts Bar Association: Former Member, Professional Ethics Committee; Past Chair, Property Law Section Council; Massachusetts Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- Boston Bar Association: Former Council Member
- New England Women in Real Estate, Member
- National Women’s Law Center Network, Boston Chair
- University of Pennsylvania Law School: Former Member, Alumni Society Board of Managers
- Celebrity Series of Boston: Chair, Board of Overseers
- New England Conservatory: Former Overseer
- Boston Lyric Opera: Former Overseer
- The Boston Club: Former Chair, Awards Committee; Member, Corporate Board Resource Committee; Member, Nominating Committee
- Patriots’ Trail Girl Scout Council, Inc.: Former Director
SPEECHES AND CONFERENCES
- Frequent lecturer at programs sponsored by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), the Massachusetts Bar Association, ALI/ABA, and various trade associations
publications
- Property Tax Exemptions, MASSACHUSETTS NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS - MCLE (1992; revised 2007)
- Local Property Taxes: A New Look, Representing Your Clients in the New World of Tax Abatement Proceedings, MCLE (1997) (Chair)
- Curing Title Defects, EXAMINING AND EVALUATING TITLE TO REAL PROPERTY IN MASSACHUSETTS - PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEMS, INC. (PESI) (1995)
- Representing Partnerships and Their Partners: Conflicts of Duty, Conflicts of Interest and Malpractice Liability, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: REPRESENTING BUSINESS CLIENTS -MCLE (1994)
- The Property Tax Exemption and Abatements for Non-Profit Organizations, HOW TO INCORPORATE AND COUNSEL A NONPROFIT CORPORATION - MCLE (1990)
- Zoning Opinions in Commercial Real Estate Transactions, Legal Opinion Writing for Commercial Real Estate Transactions - MBA (1989)