Howard Shapiro

Practice Areas

Howard Shapiro is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has more than 35 years of courtroom experience as a trial lawyer in civil and criminal matters, and has been repeatedly recognized as one of the nation’s leading litigators in high-stakes cases, ranging from bet-the-company contractual disputes to mass torts to white-collar litigation.

Best Lawyers in America lists Mr. Shapiro as a leading lawyer for business litigation. He previously served as chair of WilmerHale's Litigation/Controversy Department, a role he held for more than 20 years. Over the last few years he has represented major corporations in their most sensitive matters, including Norfolk Southern Railway in litigation arising out of a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries against claims arising out of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

Mr. Shapiro also has a recognized track record of success in white-collar litigation. He is listed in the Expert Guide to the World's Leading White Collar Crime Lawyers and he has been singled out by Chambers USA as a Star Individual for white-collar criminal defense. 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

Experience

Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

General Counsel

Department of Justice

United States Attorney's Office

Assistant US Attorney, Southern District of New York