Karen Shapiro brings to her clients a wealth of experience that guides them through an often complex business decision-making process. Whether they seek assistance with buying or selling businesses, raising capital, negotiating commercial contracts, or handling business disputes, Karen’s realistic, detail-oriented approach helps them achieve their goals.

Karen takes great pride in helping clients anticipate and solve problems at every stage of the business lifecycle. From building new enterprises and ensuring they thrive, to guiding the process of transitioning ownership when the time is right, Karen brings her business acumen, depth of legal knowledge and shrewd practicality to all of her clients. Karen has successfully handled the transition of a multitude of businesses to market buyers, key employees and family members. In addition to mergers and acquisitions (M&A), contracts and commercial transactions, she is also particularly skilled in dealing with a variety of business-related disputes including disputes among business owners and an array of employment related claims. As a result of her legal and business background, she often is viewed by her clients both as general counsel and a de facto management team member.

Highly respected in the metropolitan-area legal community, Karen has, since 2016, served on the Board of Director of the D.C. Chapter of Exit Planning Exchange (XPX), an association of professionals committed to assisting business owners with the successful transition of their businesses. Karen also served as the President of the XPX for three years.

Binghamton University (B.S., Business Management, 1997)
American University Washington College of Law (J.D., 2000)
American University, Kogod School of Business (M.B.A., 2000)

In her spare time, Karen loves spending time with her family.

Admissions & Certifications
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia

Memberships & Activities
Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland

  • Business Law Section, Advisory Council Member (2011-2013)
  • Business Law Section, Chair (2013-2015)

Maryland State Bar Association
American Bar Association
Women’s Bar Association, Montgomery County Chapter
Anne Arundel Bar Association
Exit Planning Exchange

  • President (2016-2018)
  • Board of Directors (2012-present)

Society for Human Resource Management

  • Montgomery County Chapter, Legislative Affairs Director (2010-2011)

Honors & Awards
Best Lawyers (2023-2025)
Maryland Super Lawyer (2020-2024)
Washington D.C. Super Lawyer (2020-2024)
Maryland Super Lawyer, Rising Star (2009-2015)
Washington D.C. Super Lawyer, Rising Star (2013-2015)
Bethesda Magazine

  • Top Attorney (2019, 2023)

The Daily Record’s Business & Employment Law Power List (2023)
Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent peer review rating

Martindale-Hubbell Preeminent Logo

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