Shari Schneider – Stewart

When Shari Schneider took a job with a title company at just 18 years old, she had no idea she was stepping into what would become her life’s work. Introduced to the opportunity by her sister—who knew the title company owner—Schneider immersed herself in the often-overlooked but deeply complex real estate and title insurance world. It wasn’t just a job; it became a foundational experience that charted the course of her career.

Shari Schneider | Stewart | General Counsel

“Each job I’ve had came from the last one,” Schneider says. “It’s a relationship-based industry. Once I got in, I never really left. Once you get the title bug, it does not go away.”

Her early years were spent learning every angle of the business, from quality control at a lending company to system-side work on underwriting platforms. After more than a decade in real estate operations, Schneider faced a critical decision in the mid-1990s. The industry was in flux, technology was shifting, and she questioned the path forward. With encouragement from several colleagues and a deep curiosity, she chose to go back to school—this time, to law school.

“I had a choice: go for a master’s in psychology or go to law school,” she recalls. “Enough people told me I’d make a good lawyer. Eventually, I listened.”

By the time she enrolled at Rutgers Law School, she had years of professional experience. Schneider worked full-time and went to school at night, determined to pass the bar on her first attempt. Her plan from day one: become an in-house counsel for a title company.

Blending operational knowledge with legal strategy

Today, that goal is not only realized but far surpassed. Schneider serves as general counsel for Stewart Title of California and Asset Preservation, Inc., while also acting as a lawyer and underwriter for Stewart Title Guaranty Company. Her legal work is wide-ranging—she manages small claims litigation, reviews and negotiates contracts, responds to consumer and agency complaints, advises on transactional issues, and handles regulatory compliance, including rate filings.

Stewart Title of California, Inc. is a key part of Stewart Title, a global title insurance and real estate services company known for simplifying real estate transactions through title insurance, underwriting, and closing services. Asset Preservation, Inc., a subsidiary, is a nationally recognized leader in 1031 exchange services. At the intersection of legal compliance, underwriting expertise, and client service, both organizations are integral to complex real estate transactions in California and beyond.

In her role, Schneider also supports Stewart Title’s national compliance efforts, particularly through her work on the company’s internal committee focused on the new FinCEN reporting obligations—an anti-money laundering initiative launched by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

“We’re building a national content and operational strategy around this,” she says. “From monthly newsletters to video content and educational webcasts, we’re helping ensure our people and clients are ready.”

Her experience in the business before earning her JD is rare in the industry. “Most people become lawyers first and then learn the title business. I did it the other way around,” she says. “That’s given me an edge, because I understand what our people face in the field daily.”

Though she works closely with leadership in California, Schneider enjoys a high degree of autonomy in her role. She’s often a one-woman legal team—though quick to credit her assistant and those she has mentored for helping her juggle the load.

“I don’t know what I’d do without her,” she laughs.

Additionally, Schneider recently brought on a summer assistant, a 3L from NYU Law, to whom she’s showing the ropes. Mentorship, she notes, is not just about passing on knowledge but ensuring the next generation understands the nuances of an industry that often flies under the radar.

Leading the industry forward

Schneider’s leadership extends beyond her company walls. As the most recent president of the California Land Title Association, she served as a voice for the title insurance and escrow industry—both small and large—throughout the state. Her work involves advocating for legislative changes, recommending revisions to problematic bills, and strengthening relationships between the title industry and regulatory bodies.

“This work lets me help shape policy and create forms that impact professionals across the industry,” she says. “We’re not just responding to change; we’re helping to guide it.”

She sits on several subcommittees within CLTA and continues to serve the organization after her presidency ended on June 30. Her deep involvement in advocacy and education positions her to drive strategic initiatives that impact Stewart and its readiness to take on complex real estate deals.

She’s also part of the American Land Title Association, contributing to industry-wide discussions about regulations, compliance, technology, and innovation in the title space. She also serves on its Forms Committee, drafting industry forms and documents.

The law may be her career, but it’s service—within and beyond the industry—that drives her.

Motherhood, Disney, Peloton, Metallica & Community

Though Schneider significantly influences her professional world, she’s just as passionate about the roles she plays outside of it. She’s a proud single mom to a daughter she adopted through social services at age 38. Her daughter recently graduated from high school, marking a milestone in their shared journey. Her daughter is striving to be a Disney Baker one day.

“She’s the best decision I ever made,” Schneider says simply.

She also finds joy and balance in music, travel, and community. She’s a lifelong Metallica fan—she first saw them live in 1986 when they opened for Ozzy Osbourne at Madison Square Garden—and is heading to England soon to see them perform again. She’s a regular Peloton rider, a Disney enthusiast, and a devoted cat mom to a 19-year-old feline companion. Schneider also helps her community by assisting those suffering from mental illness, homelessness and drug and alcohol addiction.

Even in grief, Schneider channels her energy into action. After losing her sister to pancreatic cancer in 2020, she became involved in an organization that raises funds for research and patient advocacy. She leads a team in the organization’s annual fundraising walk every year, helping build community and awareness for a cause that hits home.

She clearly doesn’t separate her personal values from her professional ones—she leads with heart in every arena.

Whether navigating legislation, mentoring future title professionals and lawyers, educating teams on anti-money laundering rules, or raising a strong and independent daughter, Schneider brings purpose and precision to everything she does. Her journey from title assistant at 18 to general counsel, president, and mentor is built on hard work and heart.

“I get to help people every day—whether it’s clients, employees, title professional colleagues or other attorneys,” she says. “That’s the best part of the job.”