David A. Shapiro

Partner

My name is David Shapiro and I’m originally from Long Island. Both of my parents were teachers and after retiring, both of them started a new career…my mother became an interior decorator and my father a Pharmacist.

I graduated from G.W. Hewlett High Sschool and then went to George Washington University in Washington, D.C. I chose GWU because I loved Washington D.C. and I wanted to be in the center of our democracy.

While in college, I worked various odd-jobs; valet parking, at a pharmacy and for a top criminal defense attorney. While working as a legal assistant for Benjamin Brafman, Esq. a renowned criminal attorney in NYC, I began to really focus on what I wanted to do after college. Becoming an attorney appealed to me since I always had a desire to help people.

For Law School, I wanted to be closer to home so I enrolled at Touro College and graduated in 1995. After graduating, I went to work at the law firm of Gary R. Weinberg, P.C., a personal injury firm on Court St. in Brooklyn. Working for Mr. Weinberg provided a great opportunity to learn the ins-and-outs or tort litigation and see the practice of law from the plaintiff’s (those filing a lawsuit) perspective.

I then joined the firm of Stanley R. Waxman, P.C., in Mineola, NY. Mr. Waxman’s firm was a medium-sized insurance defense firm and I learned quite a bit about the defendant’s (those being sued) perspective.

I then interned for Judge Frederick Schmidt, Civil Court, Queens County. While with Judge Schmidt, I was able to get an inside-look at how cases are handled from the Court’s perspective. I was in the Courtroom every day observing various lawyers presenting their cases in the Court. It was a great learning experience to see how some of the best lawyers in the city did their job.

In 1998, I decided to partner with several other attorneys and formed the law firm of Gildin, Zelenitz & Shapiro, P.C. And then in 2011, the firm underwent several changes and became Zelenitz, Shapiro & D’Agostino, P.C.

Although much of the work I do centers on family law, I also do quite a bit of work in other areas of law, including Commercial & Civil Litigation, Personal Injury, Bankruptcy, Landlord – Tenant Litigation, Criminal Defense, Real Estate Law & Estate Planning.

I look forward to helping you with your legal matter.

Background

Marital Status: Married 14 years

Children: One girl and one boy

Hobbies: Being with the Family, Golf, Skiing, (Don’t do it enough) Travel, Yankees!

Pro-Bono Work: Focus of this practice is to provide reduced rates, while still providing high quality representation. Have numerous client in financial need who have nowhere else to turn.

Education: The George Washington University, 1992, B.A. Speech Communication & Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, 1995, J.D.

Bar Associations: New York State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Queens County Bar Association

Admitted: New York; United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York & United States District Court for the Southern District of New York