Areas We Serve
Criminal Defense Attorneys Serving Howard, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore Counties — Call (410) 927-5137
Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake is a Howard County criminal defense firm. That is where our roots are, where our attorneys live, and where we have practiced every day since 2005. Over two decades, our work has naturally extended into the neighboring counties, Anne Arundel and Baltimore, where clients who found us through Howard County work, community ties, or referral needed representation in the courts we know well. We do not list every county in Maryland and claim to serve it. We serve the jurisdictions where we have genuine experience, real relationships, and a track record of showing up.
If you or someone you care about is facing a criminal charge in any of the areas below, the single most important step you can take is to speak with a defense attorney before speaking with investigators or entering any plea.
Call us at (410) 927-5137 — available 24 hours a day, seven days a week — and we will tell you honestly what you are facing and what we can do about it.
Howard County
Howard County is home. It is where David Zwanetz and Justin Lake grew up, where they went to school, and where they still live and practice. It is where Jason Shapiro built the firm that became Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake. Our Howard County criminal defense practice is the foundation everything else is built on. The District and Circuit Courts in Ellicott City are our home courts, and the Howard County State's Attorney's Office is the office our attorneys have the deepest familiarity with, both as opponents and, in some cases, as former colleagues.
Criminal cases in Howard County are investigated by the Howard County Police Department and prosecuted by the State's Attorney's Office, which handles approximately 7,000 cases annually. Misdemeanors and traffic matters are heard in the District Court; felonies, jury trials, and appeals go to the Circuit Court. Both courts sit in Ellicott City, and we appear in them regularly.
Columbia is Howard County's largest community and the source of a significant share of the cases we handle. Despite being one of the most populous planned communities in the country, Columbia has no courts of its own. All criminal matters are processed through the Howard County court system in Ellicott City. The mix of charges we see from Columbia reflects its demographics: DUI and traffic offenses, drug charges arising from Route 29 and Route 108 enforcement, assault and domestic matters, and white-collar and theft offenses tied to Columbia's commercial corridors. We have represented Columbia residents at the every level of the Howard County court system, from first-appearance bail hearings through Circuit Court jury trials.
Ellicott City is Howard County's seat, and the location of both the District Court and the Circuit Court. Every Howard County criminal case, wherever it originates, is ultimately processed here. For residents of Ellicott City itself, the cases we handle most frequently involve DUI, assault, drug offenses, domestic violence, and theft. For anyone appearing in these courts, local knowledge matters: we know the judges, the prosecutors, the procedures, and the practical rhythms that shape how cases actually move through the system.
Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County borders Howard County to the south and east, and it is the second area where we have built a genuine presence. Many of our Howard County clients have family, employers, or ties in Anne Arundel County, and over time that produced a caseload that warranted consistent practice there. The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court sits in Annapolis; the District Court has multiple locations across the county. Criminal cases are prosecuted by the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office.
Glen Burnie
Glen Burnie is one of the most densely populated communities in Anne Arundel County, situated along the BWI corridor between Baltimore and Annapolis. The criminal caseload there reflects its character as a working commercial and residential hub: DUI and traffic offenses from the heavily patrolled Route 2 and I-97 corridors, drug offenses, assault, theft, and domestic violence charges. The Anne Arundel County District Court location serving Glen Burnie handles a high volume of cases and navigating that environment effectively requires attorneys who appear there regularly rather than occasionally.
Annapolis
Annapolis is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and the home of the Circuit Court. As Maryland's state capital, it presents a distinct legal environment with its own active enforcement presence, a significant population of state employees and military personnel from the Naval Academy, and a visible bar scene that generates a steady volume of DUI, assault, and disorderly conduct charges. Circuit Court jury trials for the most serious felonies in Anne Arundel County are held in Annapolis. We represent clients in both the Annapolis District Court and the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.
We also serve clients in Odenton and Severn, two of Anne Arundel County's fastest-growing communities, where criminal cases are processed through the same Anne Arundel County court system.
Baltimore County
Baltimore County surrounds the city of Baltimore on three sides and is where many of our clients live, work, or were arrested while commuting. We have represented Baltimore County clients in a wide range of criminal matters — from DUI and drug charges to serious felonies — across both the District Court locations and the Baltimore County Circuit Court in Towson. Criminal cases in Baltimore County are prosecuted by the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office.
Catonsville
Catonsville sits on Baltimore County's southwestern edge, directly adjacent to Howard County along the Route 40 corridor. For many of our clients, Catonsville is practically a neighbor — and we have represented Catonsville residents in both Baltimore County and Howard County courts, sometimes in connection with the same underlying events. DUI and traffic charges on Route 40 and the Baltimore Beltway, drug offenses, assault, and domestic matters are among the most common cases we handle from this area. The geographic proximity to Howard County means our institutional knowledge of both the people and the procedures in this region runs deep.
Towson
Towson is the county seat of Baltimore County and the home of the Baltimore County Circuit Court — the venue for all serious felony trials and jury cases in the county. It is also a significant commercial and university community, with a criminal caseload that includes everything from alcohol-related offenses and assault charges tied to the Towson University area to complex white-collar and felony matters heard in the Circuit Court. We appear in the Towson Circuit Court for clients who need jury trial representation or are facing felony charges in Baltimore County.
We also serve clients in Owings Mills and other Baltimore County communities.
Why We Serve These Areas — And Not Every Area
The geographic footprint described on this page reflects where we have actual case history and actual court experience. Howard County is genuinely home. Anne Arundel County came next, because our clients were there and the courts are ones we knew from the beginning of our careers. Baltimore County followed for the same reason.
The honest version of why we serve these areas is this: criminal defense is local work. The difference between an attorney who knows a court and one who is appearing there for the first time is real, and clients feel it. Howard County's District and Circuit Courts are where we began, and every expansion of our geographic practice has happened because clients needed us in courts we were already prepared to walk into.
Our attorneys — David Zwanetz, Justin Lake, and Jason Shapiro — bring more than 50 combined years of criminal defense experience to every case, including time spent as prosecutors in Howard County. That background means we understand these courts from both sides of the aisle. It is the foundation on which every case we take, in every county we serve, is built.
Get a Free Consultation — Available 24/7
If you are facing a criminal charge anywhere in Howard, Anne Arundel, or Baltimore County, call (410) 927-5137 today. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation, we are available around the clock, and we will give you a direct, honest assessment of your situation — not a sales pitch.
The sooner you call, the more we can do.
See Why We're the Right Choice
Reasons to Choose Our Firm
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We approach every case as a team.
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Every initial consultation is free and no-obligation.
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We are available for you 24/7.
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We are a team of former prosecutors and know how the other side thinks.
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We have in-house payment plan options on qualifying cases.
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We are highly recommended and awarded by various associations.
A High-Quality Reputation
Read Reviews from Real People
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"Mr. Lake's reputation for integrity, diligence and competence which he earned as a former Assistant States Attorney and while he has been in private practice aided him in achieving the result he did."I am a retired Attorney who recommended a personal friend to Justin Lake. I received his name by speaking with an old friend of mine who is still considered one of the top criminal lawyers in Maryland. My friend was clearly guilty of driving while impaired as was evidenced by a video taken at the scene by the investigating officer and the fact that he failed the breathalyzer test. A verdict of Probation Before Judgement or Guilty would have been life altering for him and his family in that it could have resulted in his deportation from this Country and the absolute prohibition of his being able to apply for admission of his family in to the United States. My friend had learned that he had been granted asylum three days before he was charged. Aside from that charge he had an impeccable record. He is employed by a continuing care community where his service is valued which is evidenced by the excellent job reviews he has consistently received. Mr. Lake was engaged to represent him and charged a fee customary for representing someone charged with such an infraction. I know from my experience that he expended far more time on the case than he was compensated for, but he did not ask for an increase in the fee. He spoke multiple times with an Assistant State's Attorney of the County as well as the States Attorney, removed the case to a higher Court and with the Assistant State's Attorney met with the Circuit Court Judge of the County. At that meeting Mr. Lake introduced a legal opinion prepared by my friend's immigration attorneys with whom he conferred which set forth the aforementioned consequences that would ensue were any judgment aside from a PBJ(C) entered. It is the only judgment that would not impact his and his family's immigration status. Such a judgment is extremely rare. I am of the opinion that Mr. Lake's reputation for integrity, diligence and competence which he earned as a former Assistant States Attorney and while he has been in private practice aided him in achieving the result he did.- Rosser
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"Will Be In Good Hands"I never hesitate to refer any potential clients with criminal defense needs to Justin Lake or David Zwanetz- Joe M.
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"Easy to work with"Prompt, professional, and easy to work with as a client.- Zach S.