Howard Shapiro

Practice Areas

Howard Shapiro, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, has 36 years of courtroom experience as a trial lawyer in civil and criminal matters, and has been repeatedly recognized as one of Washington's leading lawyers. He has been singled out by Chambers USA as a Star Individual for white-collar criminal defense; and he is listed in the Expert Guide to the World's Leading White Collar Crime Lawyers. Best Lawyers in America lists him as a leading lawyer for business litigation.

Clients have observed that Mr. Shapiro “is a masterful strategist, trial attorney and adviser”; that “he is aggressive, but in a very measured and controlled way. He really works hard to push the government on behalf of his clients in a way that is successful for his clients. He is a really ambidextrous white-collar lawyer and is extremely skillful in the courtroom”; and that “he is very thoughtful and strategic in his representations. He really looks at each case individually and figures out the best approach to recommend to clients."

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Shapiro served as the General Counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 1993 to 1997. In 1997, Mr. Shapiro was awarded the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal by the Director of Central Intelligence. He was previously a much-decorated Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he tried numerous cases ranging from bank fraud and political corruption to organized crime and narcotics. During his tenure as an AUSA, Mr. Shapiro was specially assigned by the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute the notorious mail bombing assassinations of former United States Circuit Judge Robert Vance and former civil rights attorney Robert Robinson.

To learn more, visit: https://www.wilmerhale.com/en/people/howard-shapiro

Professional Memberships

Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers

Personal

JD, Yale Law School, 1985

BA, Williams College, 1982, magna cum laude