Whig, but remained all his life a free-trader. He attended Unitarian services, though he was never a communicant. Fond of entertaining and dining out, he was simple and affectionate in his home life, his interest in the social events of his household extending to the minutest details. Shaw was prepared for his judicial career by numerous public positions. He was elected a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, serving in 1811–14, 1820 and 1829, and as a state senator in 1821–22. He served as a member of the constitutional convention of 1820. He also held many offices in Boston. Shaw was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1823. In 1822, with few precedents to guide him, he drafted the first charter of the city, which lasted until 1913. Chief Justice of Massachusetts On the death of Chief Justice Isaac Parker, Governor Levi Lincoln offered Shaw an appointment as chief justice. Daniel Webster successfully urged Shaw to accept, though it meant giving up a practice of $15,000 to $20,000 a year for a salary of $3,500. And for this, if nothing else, Webster later thought the public owed him a debt of gratitude. Shaw's commission was issued on August 30, 1830. He served for almost exactly 30 years, resigning on August 21, 1860. During his tenure as Chief Justice, Shaw is reported to have heard between 2,000 and 2,200 cases . Many would help shape American law and jurisprudence. His exceptionally long judicial career coincided with the development of many important industries and, coincidentally, Shaw made law on such matters as water power, railroads, and other public utilities. Some commentators have argued that Shaw had more influence on the development of American law than any other state court judge in the country's history. Shaw's opinions were not often readily quotable and are instead recognized for solid reasoning. "His words had weight rather than brilliancy or eloquence." His reputation as a jurist lies mostly in the substance of his work, as opposed to the literary quality of his writings for the court. In Shaw's time on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the chief justice often sat at trials. In the role of a trial judge, he was considered to be thorough, systematic, and patient. He was also renowned for his ability to clearly instruct juries. Slavery and civil rights Because of Boston's strong abolitionist movement,