Biography of Ron Shapiro

Expert Negotiator, Sports Agent, Attorney, Educator, Author, and Civic Leader, Ron Shapiro attended Haverford College and graduated Cum Laude from Harvard Law School in 1967.  After moving to Baltimore in 1967 for a federal clerkship, he began teaching law school in 1968. From 1972 to 1974 Mr. Shapiro served as Maryland State Securities Commissioner and earned a reputation as one of the most effective state investment officials in the nation.  In 1972 he founded what is now known as Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler, a prominent Baltimore law firm.  Subsequently, in 1976 Mr. Shapiro founded Shapiro, Robinson & Associates, a sports management firm that developed a national reputation through its holistic approach to contract negotiation, sound financial management, and commitment to community involvement on the part of its clients. In 1995 he founded Shapiro Negotiations Institute, a negotiation seminar and consulting firm that has trained over 250,000 professionals in the art of negotiation, dealing with difficult personalities, and enhancing listening skills.

USA TODAY called Ron Shapiro “one of baseball’s most respected agent-attorneys,” and Sporting News named him one of the “100 most powerful people in sports.” His impressive list of clients includes five of the “100 greatest major-league baseball players of the 20th century,” including Cal Ripken, Jr. and Hall of Famers’ Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Kirby Puckett, and Eddie Murray, Also on that list are Hall of Fame Broadcaster Chuck Thompson, and ESPN Broadcaster Jon Miller both of whom have benefited from the more than one billion dollars in contracts that Mr. Shapiro has negotiated.   In addition, Mr. Shapiro is the Special Advisor To The Owner of the Baltimore Ravens.

In October 1998, Mr. Shapiro’s book, THE POWER OF NICE: HOW TO NEGOTIATE SO EVERYONE WINS- ESPECIALLY YOU! (Revised Edition, 2001) was published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. THE POWER OF NICE® was excerpted in FORTUNE MAGAZINE and named one of the “Top Ten ‘On the Job’ Business Books of the Year” by the LIBRARY JOURNAL. Mr. Shapiro also authored more than 20 law journal articles; co-authored books on corporate and securities law; founded Maryland’s major bar review course; and began a legal publishing company. He taught at the Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland School of Law, and the University of Baltimore School of Law where he was honored for teaching excellence.  Mr. Shapiro was named the 1996 Edward B. Shils Lecturer in Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. A charismatic and creative individual, Ron Shapiro appeared as a negotiations expert on ABC's "Good Morning America," CNBC's "Power Lunch," Mutual Radio's "The Larry King Show," National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," ABC's Nightline," and ESPN's "Up Close." In addition, he has hosted "Special Edition," a series of prime time specials on NBC's Baltimore affiliate. Mr. Shapiro’s new book, Bullies, Tyrants & Impossible People: HOW TO BEAT THEM WITHOUT JOINING THEM, was released by Crown Books (Random House) in June 2005 and made The Wall Street Journal’s Best Seller List in its first week of publication.

Committed to public and civic matters, Mr. Shapiro has chaired over 25 boards of charitable and community organizations, including Playing for Peace, the University of Maryland Medical System Greenebaum Cancer Center, the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, and the Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust, as well as serving on numerous others.  He was also Treasurer and Finance Chairman for former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke for his first run office in 1982. Mr. Shapiro has received numerous special honors and recognition including Chimes Hall of Fame for contributions and community service, American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame Mel Allen Service Award for distinguished public service, Cheltenham High School Hall of Fame in recognition of outstanding personal and career achievements, Maryland Marketing Statesman of the Year, received the City of Baltimore Citizen Citation for assistance and special contributions to the public schools and the citizens of Baltimore, and recently received the Children’s Guild award for “Making the Impossible – Possible.” In June 2003, Villa Julie College awarded Mr. Shapiro the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Mr. Shapiro’s dispute resolution techniques have settled a major symphony orchestra strike, facilitated solutions to human relations problems, and resolved disputes in governmental, corporate, and major biotechnology challenges.  Mr. Shapiro has negotiated on behalf of Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, as well as entertainment and news personalities. Ron Shapiro is frequently cited by parties representing each side in a negotiation as the ultimate "Win-Win" negotiator.