Karen M. Schapiro, Executive Director

Karen M. Schapiro is an experienced environmental attorney who began serving as MEA’s Executive Director in September 2007. Ms. Schapiro came to MEA from the law firm of DeWitt Ross & Stevens, S.C., where she was a partner in the environmental practice group. Earlier in her career Ms. Schapiro served as an enforcement attorney at the U.S. EPA in Washington, D.C. She prosecuted violations of the Clean Air Act around the country, and also worked on regulation and policy developments pursuant to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Ms. Schapiro is a recipient of two of the EPA’s highest awards: the Special Achievement Award for outstanding legal services and the Bronze Medal of Commendation for negotiating emission reductions from more than 40 “high risk” sources of air toxics. While in Washington, D.C., Ms. Schapiro also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Ms. Schapiro has taught environmental law at Marquette University Law School and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel. She has also written on the subject extensively, with articles appearing in the Milwaukeee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Lawyer, among other publications.

In 2005, Ms. Schapiro was named a “Leader in the Law” by the Wisconsin Law Journal. The award recognized Ms. Schapiro for pursuing citizen suit litigation against the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for dumping raw sewage into Lake Michigan and Milwaukee-area rivers. Ms. Schapiro is also featured in Wisconsin Super Lawyers® and the Best Lawyers in America.®

Ms. Schapiro earned her B.A. from Oberlin College (religion) and J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. She resides in Milwaukee with her husband Douglas Frazer, also a lawyer, and sons Nathan and Jacob.

For more information contact Karen M. Schapiro at kschapiro@midwestadvocates.org