Shiva Kooragayala

ASSOCIATE

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee Member

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Massey & Gail LLP
50 East Washington Street
Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60602

Office: 312.283.1590
Direct: 312.948.5538
Fax: 312.379.0467

Shiva Kooragayala is a commercial litigator whose practice encompasses all phases of litigation, including trials and appeals. He litigates in both state and federal court. Before joining Massey & Gail, Shiva was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Chicago, where he focused on bankruptcy and corporate restructuring matters.

Shiva maintains an active pro bono practice and has experience representing pro bono clients in immigration, state, and federal courts. He has represented low-income families facing housing eviction; asylum seekers from Iraq and Guatemala; individuals facing housing discrimination; and incarcerated individuals alleging Section 1983 civil rights violations.

Shiva graduated cum laude from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in 2020 where he was the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Law & Social Policy. During law school, Shiva was a student advocate in the Bluhm Legal Clinic where he represented families facing eviction. He also interned at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law and was a Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) Fellow at Legal Aid Chicago in the Consumer Practice Group. Prior to attending law school, Shiva was trained as an Urban Planner and worked at the Urban Institute as researcher specializing on issues related to urban poverty, housing, and community development.

  • Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2020
  • Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania, M.C.R.P., with Honors, 2015
  • Emory University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2013

  • Illinois

  • Barbara Grau Outstanding Housing Advocate Award, Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (2022)
  • Public Interest Law Fellow, Legal Aid Chicago (2020)
  • Phi Beta Kappa

  • Shiva Kooragayala, Preschool for All: Plyler V. Doe in The Context of Early Childhood Education, 15 Nw. J. L. & Soc. Pol’y. 98 (2019)
  • Shiva Kooragayala, The Consequences of Rising Suburban Poverty on the Housing Choice Voucher Program in Atlanta, Georgia, 24 J. Columb. U. Pol. & Soc’y. 41–66 (2014)

  • Member of the Emerging Leaders Council of the Legal Services Corporation
  • Board Member: Law Center for Better Housing
  • Board Member: South Asian Bar Association, Chicago Chapter
  • Young Professionals’ Board Member: Ascend Justice

  • Represented clients reach out-of-court settlements in Section 1983 civil rights cases stemming from failure to protect and excessive force claims.
  • Defended numerous clients in eviction proceedings, allowing them to stay in their homes safely.
  • Helped Iraqi refugee win deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture and remain in the United States.
  • Represented Guatemalan family in defensive asylum case.
  • Represented foreign debtor and its affiliates in their Chapter 15 bankruptcy cases obtain recognition and enforcement of third-party releases in the United States.
  • Helped represented multiple special purpose acquisition companies (SPAC) with initial public offerings.