Harold David Shapiro, 78, a Northwestern Law adjunct professor and partner in the Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal law firm, died Dec. 1 of a ruptured aorta, at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston.

Shapiro, who was born in Wilmette, received a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern in 1949 and graduated from the Law School in 1952. He became an adjunct professor at NU in 1959, specializing in conflicts, international law, and international litigation and arbitration. In his career, he represented Sears, Roebuck and Co., and led a team representing the insurance company Allstate.

Shapiro was named the Senior Edward A. Harriman Adjunct Professor of Law in 1971, and was awarded the Wigmore Key, which honored him as a graduate who helped preserve the law school’s traditions.

A former editor of Northwestern’s Law Review, Shapiro collaborated with former classmate Professor Emiritus Dawn Clark Netsch for the 100th anniversary issue, scheduled for January publication.

“He had a great sense of propriety and integrity – things that are at least as important as learning the law itself,” said Netsch, Shapiro’s close friend for more than 50 years. “Harold brought his outside understanding and knowledge to his teaching and gave students a complete understanding of law.”

Shapiro was born in 1927 on Chicago’s West Side. He served in the Navy during World War II and was a reservist for four years after the war. After graduating from law school, Shapiro joined Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP, where he was an attorney for 53 years, the last 47 as a partner.

“I will miss Harold’s incredible sense of humor, his perennial optimism, his vision and his focus on the future,” said Duane Quaini, the firm’s chairman and Shapiro’s close friend. “He was one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever known. He was intensely outgoing to people of every type and kind. He was a remarkable man.”

Shapiro played basketball three times a week for 50 years at the Standard Club in Chicago, where he helped establish the basketball group in 1955. He played until the day before he died.

“He created a sense of community by welcoming everyone onto the team,” close friend and club president Peter Borzak said. “There were very few people who knew him who didn’t feel a connection to him.”

Survivors include Shapiro’s wife of 55 years, Beatrice Shapiro; a sister, Barbara Schmetterer; sons Matthew and Nicholas; daughter Michal Ann; and three grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Jan. 8, in Thorne Auditorium at the Law School.

Shapiro’s family requests that contributions in his memory be made to the Law School.

Reach Abha Bhattarai at [email protected].