Jason Shapiro

For nearly 35 years, Jason Shapiro was a highly recognized and accomplished attorney, delivering excellent results to his clients while setting the standard for superior customer and client service. He was also honored for over two decades as one of Maryland’s Superlawyers (Top 5% of the state’s lawyers in a practice area) and, even more significantly, by the exclusive and prestigious Best Lawyers in America, in which Jason received the highest distinction of Lawyer of the Year in 2016. In setting the bar high for both results and representation, Jason continually led Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake to be recognized as one of the Best Law Firms in America.

Jason began his career first serving as an award-winning prosecutor, and then, for nearly 30 years, as a highly decorated criminal defense attorney. He was honored by his peers who selected him as the President of the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys’ Association from 2010-2011, an organization in which he continued to serve as a board member. Additionally, he was appointed for three terms to the highly prestigious Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission. Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley appointed Jason as Chairman of this commission for an eight-year term and also appointed him to serve on the Maryland Public Defender’s Advisory Board. Former Howard County Executive Ken Ulman called upon Jason’s legal expertise, appointing him as counsel to the Board of Elections to protect the voting rights of the county’s citizens.

During his career, Jason either prosecuted or defended a myriad of cases, from Disorderly Conduct to Death Penalty/First-Degree Murder. He handled close to 10,000 DUI cases, thousands of drug cases, and even secured total and complete dismissals in his last two First-Degree Murder cases that he defended. As an Assistant State’s Attorney, Jason served as Chief of the Auto Manslaughter Unit, and then as Chief of the Narcotics Prosecution Team, parlaying that prosecutorial experience into offering superior representation in his later role as a practitioner of Criminal Defense and Personal Injury.

Jason was recognized by his peers and colleagues as one of the best lawyers practicing in the Maryland courts. He represented police officers and their families, the families of judges and prosecutors, court clerks and their families, other attorneys and their family members, and others who knew to turn to him when they needed an attorney they could trust. One prominent attorney, practicing law for nearly 50 years, commented that he had “seen much through my years practicing law, but watching Jason Shapiro…was some of the best lawyering that I have ever seen.” Charles “Chuck” Cave, retired Maryland State Police Sergeant and Retired Sheriff for Howard County, commented that “Jason Shapiro is the finest criminal defense attorney in the area…He is the only criminal defense attorney that I refer cases to.” A veteran member of the Division of Parole and Probation also said, “Jason is the best lawyer that I have ever seen during my 15 years in the court system.”

Jason grew up in Maryland and lived in Howard County for nearly 40 years. His roots ran deep throughout the community, both professionally and personally. He built extensive friendships throughout the Maryland recovery community. Through these relationships, he assisted many clients in obtaining and maintaining their sobriety from drugs and alcohol, often addressing the underlying reasons clients needed his services in the first place. Additionally, he served on a multitude of legal boards and organizations, including several charitable boards, and taught continuing education classes to attorneys and police officers. For nearly 40 years, Jason was an integral part of the local Maryland community and legal community.

Jason was proud to serve his clients, helping them set a positive direction in their lives, providing unparalleled service while seeking the best possible results. As of January 1, 2022, Jason stepped down as the Firm’s Managing Partner to serve in an “Of Counsel” capacity, remaining an integral part of the Firm. Also, as of January 1, 2022, his partners, David Zwanetz and Justin Lake, assumed the role of the Firm’s Co-Managing Partners, carrying out the Firm’s core values and working with Jason to keep Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake as the quintessential example of the way law firms should represent clients and conduct their business.