TransPerfect Co-CEO Phil Shawe's Summer Gala Raises More Than $250,000 For Charities And Scholarships

NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- After kicking off a landmark season of philanthropic activity during his Summer Charity Gala on July 20, 2017, Phil Shawe announced that the total money raised at the event eclipsed the $250,000 mark. This total comprises scholarships for the law student teams participating in the Philip R. Shawe Scholarship Competition, as well as donations to four non-profit organizations that were featured beneficiaries during the gala. Shawe also announced that the gala will not mark the end of 2017's charitable efforts. Citing his desire to support victims in recent tragic events ranging from the hate crimes in Charleston, to the devastation caused by hurricanes in Texas, Florida, and Caribbean, and the terrorist attack in Barcelona–Shawe announced plans to also help those impacted by these recent tragedies.

The non-profits that participated in the Summer Charity Gala represented a diverse range of noble causes including support for the arts, cancer research, the fight against human trafficking, and supporting homeless LGBTQ youth in the New York City. The beneficiary organizations were:  

• The V Foundation for Cancer Research;

• Resilience Rising;

• Key West Film Festival; and

• The Ali Forney Center (in cooperation with TransPerfect Advocate)

Shawe sparked the evening's spirit of "giving back" with a personal donation of $50,000 to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. "Cancer has touched so many lives in my immediate family, my extended family, and my TransPerfect family, that I want to do everything in my power to help, and to encourage others to help, drive research forward," Shawe said.  The additional funds raised for the four groups came from both Shawe and gala attendees.

Additionally, over $100,000 in scholarships were awarded to the law students who developed the best mock Supreme Court arguments overturning Delaware Chief Chancellor Andre G. Bouchard controversial decision on the TransPerfect case. Bouchard's unprecedented decision to dissolve and force the sale of a highly-profitable and rapidly-growing, privately-held company against the wishes of multiple shareholders, and against the plain language of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, spawned the scholarship competition. In a split decision, Delaware Supreme Court upheld Bouchard's decision, which was the first of its kind in United States history.

Leaders in the business and legal communities, including former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani have called Bouchard's decision "un-American." Constitutional scholar, Professor Alan Dershowitz publicly stated: "For a lawyer to advise his client to incorporate in Delaware under the present circumstances would be tantamount to business malpractice." 

Professor Dershowitz delivered a passionate keynote address containing harsh words for Delaware's Chancery Court and Appellate process.  He called Delaware Justice "an oxymoron" that "simply doesn't exist" and declared Delaware's Chief Justice Strine "a judicial tyrant."

Of the more than 300 people in attendance, many were those whose livelihoods has been directly threatened and whose families' healthcare has been cut by the actions of the court appointed Custodian, Robert Pincus, who has cost TransPerfect more than $25 million in court-ordered expenses during his appointment.

Professor Dershowitz's keynote address can be viewed here: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wXEHyTA_8ck

Property rights advocate Suzette Kelo also attended as Guest of Honor, showing support for Shirley Shawe and raising awareness in the legal community.  Ms. Kelo is known for her expressed concerns regarding the constitutional implications arising from the government's "Taking" of private property for a non-public purpose, and assigning it from one private party to another.

According to experts following the case, Chancellor Bouchard's TransPerfect decision may also be devastating to the main industry which drives Delaware's economy.  The TransPerfect matter is considered by many to be the primary catalyst for Delaware's plummet from first to eleventh place as the domicile of choice for corporations.

The Gala and Scholarship Contest were an overwhelming success. The moot court presentations featured a distinguished panel of judges, who honored the Top-10 competitors, and heard oral defenses by the top three student teams. Professor Alan Dershowitz, Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick (Ret), Senior Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, Justice Melvin Schweitzer (Ret), New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division, and Joseph D. Hansen, former Director of Interns for Justice Schweitzer, New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division served as the Supreme Court Justices for the competitors.

The student scholarship winners were as follows:

• First Place - Steven Hermosa of the University of Florida Levin College - $65,000

• Second Place (tie) - Alison Tilden and McKaye Neumeister of Yale law School - $25,000

• Second Place (tie) - Catherine Dowie of Suffolk University Law School - $25,000 New York Giant Jason Pierre-Paul was the Honorary Bailiff presiding over the award ceremony, entertaining the student teams and greeting guests at the Gala; while Snoop Dogg made a surprise appearance and entertained the audience until close.

"Giving back to the communities in which we live and work has always been a huge part of what we've done at TransPerfect," Shawe said. "I'm not surprised that in bringing together hundreds of family members, friends, and co-workers, we've seen such generous support of our featured charities. I'm truly inspired by the giving of our gala attendees–and remain forever thankful and humbled by their generosity."

SOURCE Phil Shawe