Alexandra Shapiro

Alexandra is a former federal prosecutor and one of the nation’s leading appellate lawyers, She has argued in the Supreme Court, won numerous appeals resulting in the exoneration of previously convicted criminal defendants, served as President of the New York Council of Defense Lawyers, and handles many high-profile cases. She practices at Shapiro Arato Bach LLP, a New York litigation boutique that she co-founded in 2009. Alexandra graduated first in her class at Columbia Law School and served as one of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's first clerks on the Supreme Court.

Inspired by her real-life experiences on both sides of criminal cases, Shapiro hopes her new novel, Presumed Guilty (forthcoming in January 2022), will raise awareness about unfairness in the criminal justice system and the need for reform. Her book makes clear that the system does not always function properly even for those with significant financial resources, let alone the numerous criminal defendants who face the challenge of prosecution with little to no resources at all.

Presumed Guilty tells the story of Emma Simpson, a successful portfolio manager running the Manhattan office of a big-time hedge fund. On March 14, 2012, Emma followed her usual routine, interacting with coworkers and clients before returning to her quiet family home in the Hudson Valley, where she lives with her husband and two children. But more than a year later, Emma’s world is forever changed—all because of a short email she dashed off on her way home that day to simply support routine company practices. That email becomes the focal point of a criminal investigation by ambitious federal prosecutors. The book follows Emma’s journey as the target of a federal white-collar criminal prosecution and chronicles her fight to prove her innocence, protect her family, and preserve her reputation.