Jacqueline E. Shapiro has spent more than 25 years redefining what it means to be a powerhouse in appellate law. As the founder of Jacqueline E. Shapiro, P.A., she has earned a reputation for taking on some of the toughest criminal appeals in the U.S., from cases involving national security to complex constitutional battles. Her work in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit highlights her ability to deliver results when the stakes are at their highest. 

 

Ms. Shapiro’s career began with a rare trifecta of federal judicial clerkships, including with the Honorable Peter T. Fay on the U.S. Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals and two judges in the Southern District of Florida. These formative roles honed her precision and strategy, setting the stage for her impactful tenure as an Assistant Federal Public Defender, where she handled some of the most challenging appellate cases in the country.

 

Graduating magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, Ms. Shapiro was a standout from the start. She served as an editor for the University of Miami Law Review and earned accolades in Constitutional and Administrative Law. Her groundbreaking articles on First Amendment issues—including the widely recognized “Toward a Constitutional Theory of Expression”—earned her recognition from ASCAP and cemented her reputation as a legal scholar with fresh, bold perspectives 

 

Beyond her work in court, Ms. Shapiro has been a driving force in legal education and thought leadership. She has taught legal research, writing, and appellate advocacy at the University of Miami School of Law and led seminars exploring topics like Moral Responsibility and Criminal Guilt and First Amendment Conflicts. As Editor of the Florida Bar Journal’s Appellate Practice Section column and Coordinator of the JURIS Program for the Southern District of Florida, she has shaped the next generation of legal talent with her sharp insight and practical expertise.

 

Whether she’s drafting a brief, arguing a case, or mentoring future attorneys, Ms. Shapiro brings energy, passion, and innovation to everything she does. She isn’t just practicing law—she’s raising the bar.

 

Publications

• “Toward a Constitutional Theory of Expression: The Copyright Clause, the First Amendment, and Protection of Individual Creativity,” University of Miami Law Review (1980) – Recognized by ASCAP for its innovative analysis of copyright and free speech.
• “‘Filthy Words’: One Man’s Lyric or Broadcasting’s Indecency?” University of Miami Law Review (1979) – A compelling critique of First Amendment protections in broadcasting.

 

Teaching and Leadership

• Taught at the University of Miami School of Law, leading courses on appellate advocacy and legal writing.
• Led seminars on Moral Responsibility and Criminal Guilt and First Amendment Conflicts, addressing pivotal legal and ethical challenges.
• Editor, Appellate Practice Section column, Florida Bar Journal (1997–2003).
• Coordinator, JURIS Program, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, creating training programs for federal law clerks and judges.

 

Education

• J.D., magna cum laude, University of Miami School of Law (1980).
• Recognized for top performance in Constitutional and Administrative Law.