Appointed to the federal bench by former president Bill Clinton, the Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin served as a United States District judge in the Souther District of New York for 22 years. Since leaving the bench in May 2016, Judge Scheindlin has overseen many mediations and arbitrations, and served as a court-appointed special master, mock trial judge, and expert witness.
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2027 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2027 | Arbitration, Mediation |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2026 | Arbitration, Mediation |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2025 | Arbitration, Mediation |
| Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America | 2022 | Arbitration |
| The 2018 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America | 2018 |
Throughout her more than two decades on the federal bench, Scheindlin oversaw a wide range of high-profile matters relating to criminal law, financial services and securities laws, electronic discovery, civil rights and more. Her experience as a long-serving federal judge provides clients with a unique perspective on issues in pending and potential litigation, including mediation and arbitration. Most recently in her private neutral practice, her cases have included disputes involving intellectual property, insurance coverage, RMBS fraud litigation, securities fraud, maritime, partnership contracts, construction, mass torts, employment, and other commercial matters.
Earlier in her career, she served as Chief Administrative U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. She was also general counsel of the New York City Department of Investigations and a Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District. Additionally, she sat by designation on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits. Since leaving the bench, Scheindlin has conducted well over a hundred mediations and arbitrations.