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Practice Areas

Criminal Defense (Federal)

Target Letters; Investigations; Drug Trafficking; Firearms Offenses; White Collar Crime; Healthcare Fraud;  Maritime Criminal Defense; Coast Guard Disciplinary Cases; Immigration Offenses; Misprision of a Felon; Conspiracy; Counterfeiting; Aviation Offenses; Use of Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offenses, Obstruction of Justice; Sentencing; Appeals; Habeas Corpus; Probation Violations; Supervised Release Violations; Motions for Compassionate Release; Motions for Elderly Release; Federal Bureau of Prisons Issues; Diversions

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Criminal Defense (State)

Drug Trafficking; Firearms Offenses; Theft; DWIs; Expungements; Writ Applications; Appeals; Pardons; (Handling Post-Conviction Relief Cases on a Limited Basis Only)

General Civil Practice 

Personal Injury, Business (including Business Formation, Operating Agreements, Contracts, Breach of Contract Litigation, Buy-Outs, Collections, and Wage Issues, Unfair Trade Practice Litigation; General Litigation); Wills; Power of Attorney; Motor Vehicle Offenses

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Image by Bill Oxford
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EXPERIENCE

 

Stephen H. Shapiro, Attorney at Law, LLC     New Orleans, LA

Practice Areas: General practice in federal and state court,

including criminal defense, civil litigation, and appeals

2008-Present

 

Sharp Dooley, LLC     Baton Rouge, LA

Practice Areas: Criminal defense and civil litigation in federal

and state court, including personal injury, commercial law,

municipal law, public utility law, and appeals

2006-2008

 

Sharp Hymel Cerniglia Colvin Weaver & Davis, LLC   Baton Rouge, LA

Practice Areas: Criminal defense and civil litigation in federal

and state court, including personal injury, commercial law,

civil rights law, and appeals

2001-2006

 

Appointed by Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as Ad Hoc Judge at First Parish Court for Jefferson Parish, Section A

2019

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Mediator - Civil and Family Law

Mediation Certificate - The Mediation Training Center, Loyola University School of Law - 2021

 

​Arbitrator

Leiden University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Candidate for Certificate in International Arbitration - 2024

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PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

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Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office

Assistant District Attorney - Screening Division

(Screened felony and misdemeanor cases referred by NOPD Sixth District)

(2023-2024)

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Judicial Law Clerk for Honorable F.A. “Pappy” Little, Jr.

United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana-Alexandria Division

(1989-1990)

 

Judicial Law Clerk for Honorable Robert G. James

United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana-Monroe Division

(1998-2000)

 

Judicial Law Clerk for Honorable Christine Noland

United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana

(2000-2001)

 

City of New Orleans

City Attorney’s Office

Police Litigation Department

(1993-1994)

 

HONORS

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2020 - New Orleans Magazine Best Lawyers in New Orleans (Criminal Defense)

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2007 - Criminal Justice Act Award – In recognition of Excellence in Criminal Defense Advocacy in connection with United States v. Colomb, et al. – Awarded by Federal Public Defender for the Middle

and Western Districts of Louisiana

 

ADMISSIONS

Louisiana State Bar Association; U.S. District Court-Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of

Louisiana; United States District Court-Eastern District of Texas; United States District Court-Southern District of Texas; United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

 

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Tennis; Piano; Labrador Retrievers; Solar Energy; Windsurfing; Canoeing; Actor in Community

Theatre

KEY CASES - VICTORIES

 

FEDERAL APPEALS - CRIMINAL


United States v. Iraheta, 764 F.3d 455 (5th Cir. 2014) (holding that search of client/defendant's vehicle was unconstitutional and drugs seized from unlawful search were properly suppressed because law enforcement officers did not act reasonably in securing consent to search)


United States v. Blevins, 755 F.3d 312 (5th Cir. 2014) (holding that client/defendant's case must be remanded to the district court for evidentiary hearing on Bill of Information requirements)


United States v. Daniels, 723 F.3d 562 (5th Cir. 2013), reh’g granted and remanded, 729 F.3d 496 (5th Cir.),
cert. denied (2014) (holding that the district court erred in finding that client/defendant and co-defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine powder; Convictions and sentences were vacated, and case remanded for resentencing of all defendants, including client, based on lower quantity)


United States v. Brown, United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 12-30235 (unpublished) (holding that law enforcement officers did not act in good faith in executing a search warrant of client/defendant's home, and judge who approved warrant did not have sufficient facts for the issuance of a valid search warrant; All evidence seized from client/defendant's home was suppressed; Case against client/defendant was dismissed and he was released from federal prison).


FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT CASES - CRIMINAL


United States v. Dove, No. 20-40 (E.D. La. 2020) (unpublished) (Client/defendant pled guilty to bribery and tampering with a federal witness; Client/defendant faced a sentencing guideline range of 100 to 125 months of imprisonment; Mr. Shapiro prepared and filed a Sentencing Memorandum and Motion for a Downward Variance in Sentence on behalf of client; The Court granted the Motion for Downward Variance, and sentenced client/defendant to 33 months of imprisonment)

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United States v. Antoine (E.D. La. 2019) (Client was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and other drug trafficking offenses; Client pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a detectible quantity of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), and 846; Client faced a sentencing guideline range of 168 to 210 months of imprisonment; Mr. Shapiro filed a Sentencing Memorandum and a Motion for Downward Variance in Sentence; The Court agreed with Mr. Shapiro's arguments and sentenced client to 84 months of imprisonment)

 

United States v. Henderson, 660 F. Supp. 2d 751 (E.D. La. 2009) (holding, based on sentencing memorandum motion for downward variance filed on behalf of client, Court held that a downward variance in client's sentence was warranted due to Court's rejection of 100:1 punishment ratio for crack cocaine vs. cocaine powder; Court adopted a 1:1 sentencing
ratio and sentenced client in conformity of this finding yielding a significantly lower sentence (Case was decided prior to the enactment of the Federal Sentencing Act 2010 ratio of 18:1)


United States v. Holden, No. 09-261 (E.D. La. 2009) (Client charged with drug trafficking offenses; Client pled guilty; Client faced career offender sentencing guideline range of 262 to 327 months of imprisonment; Court agreed with the sentencing memorandum and motion for downward variance Mr. Shapiro prepared and filed on behalf of client, approved of the proposed variance, and sentenced client to 156 months of imprisonment)

United States v. Colomb, 448 F. Supp. 2d 750 (W.D. La. 2006) (holding that client and co-defendants' due process rights, including right to fair trial, were violated when district court failed to grant mistrial after government disclosed government federal inmate witness's letter indicating that witness offered to sell false information about defendants to other government federal inmate witnesses; This confirmed defense counsel's theory and ongoing defense at trial that false information about their clients was bought and sold by inmates in order to obtain a reduction in sentence as what at became known as the Federal Bureau of Prisons "jailhouse pipeline.")


United States v. Spaniolos, USDC-Southern District of Mississippi
Offense: False Representations to the United States; Theft of Federal Funds (FEMA)
Proceedings: Target Letter and Investigation
Disposition: After discussions with counsel for the government and another review of the evidence, the government declined to pursue criminal charges against client


FEDERAL CIVIL DISTRICT COURT CASES AND APPEALS


Kurian David, et al. v. Signal International, LLC, et al., No. 08-1220 (E.D. La. 2008)
Nature of case: Human Trafficking - Labor, Civil RICO, Civil Rights Violations
Proceedings: Represented one of several defendants from inception through post-trial motions in complex case;

5-week jury trial
Disposition: Defeated plaintiffs’ request for class certification; At trial, lead defendant Signal International was cast in judgment for $12.5M; Judgment imposed against client’s insolvent corporation, but not client individually, resulting in no recovery against client's corporation; Defeated all of Signal International's cross claims against client


Kurian David, et al. v. World Marine, et al., No. 15-30464 (5th Cir. 2015) (holding, on Signal International's appeal (later "World Marine"), Signal's cross claims against client and another co-defendant, as well as Signal International's claims for indemnity against client and co-defendant, had been properly dismissed by the district court and by jury on the indemnity claim)


Shell Offshore, Inc. v. Courtney, 2006 WL 1968926 (E.D. La. 2006) (unpublished) (holding that a stay of discovery for one year in civil lawsuit against client under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), 18 U.S.C. § 1962, was appropriate to protect client's Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination where client was a target of a grand jury investigation)


STATE COURT - APPEALS


Mathieu v. Imperial Toy Corp., 646 So. 2d 318 (La. 1994) (holding that the stealth manner in which police
officers approached suspect while attempting to disarm him was not negligent and thus client City of New Orleans, their employer, was not liable in respondeat superior)

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