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About Attorney

Steve Shapiro

Steve Shapiro, Esq

5 Star Reviews

“I just wanted to send you a note to profoundly thank you for holding our hands through this most difficult process and guiding us to the other side- a process and side no one aspires to reach- but sometimes ends up as the only solution. Your humanity, patience, skill and ability to maintain neutrality was truly outstanding. We would have never gotten here without you.

I hope we achieve healing and can rediscover love and appreciation in a rebirth of a new relationship. I trust that this is a possibility if we practice the compassion you always reminded us of.

Warmest regards in this difficult time.” - Diane


“Steve Shapiro blends the roles of attorney and humanist–words not often placed together–in a manner unique in his profession. In other words, his legal talents are inextricably connected to his deep compassion and empathy for others.That combination of legal knowledge and interpersonal sensitivity helped me through two complex legal challenges in my life: an international divorce and, later, a prenuptial agreement. Friends of mine often ask me how it is that I remained so close to my ex-husband after our divorce; I give Steve the lion’s share of the credit for that. He listened carefully to both sides and gently moved the dialogue to compromise, carefully balancing the needs and interests of husband, wife, and two young children.That experience lay the groundwork for a warm and trusting family dynamic moving forward–what some might call “a great divorce.”In another phase of life, Steve used this same combination of legal expertise and humanistic understanding to generate a prenuptial agreement that helped blend two very different families.I am thankful to have walked these tumultuous legal grounds with Steve as my guide.”- N.Schnog


“I benefited from the services of Steve Shapiro in the mediation of the transfer of assets and ownership for my business when one partner elected to leave the partnership. Steve was broad-minded and nimble in constructing approaches by which we could develop strategies for the transfer. He employed different techniques as appropriate from the several common types of mediation, and was a tireless advocate for a process which would leave each partner in the best position possible. Steve has my wholehearted and strongest recommendation!”– A. Gardner

5 Star Reviews

What Makes Attorney Steve Shapiro Uniquely Qualified To Represent You?

My name is Steve Shapiro and I am a principal with the firm Resolution Matters. I’ve been in practice for over 30 years focused on bringing people together, having them work out their differences together and documenting these agreements in the most humane, sensible, cost-effective way. Particularly in the family context, separation and divorce, issues concerning care and decision making for elder parents, and issues concerning family business matters.

The work in the family business setting is an overlay of emotional issues, sibling, cousins, nieces and nephew issues; and then how do you keep a business running and successful in the midst of impending conflict. The mindset and the focus is in being able to bring the family together in whatever way works for their situation.

In a divorce setting, bringing the mother and father together to develop a parenting plan, is one of the essential starting points that once you have that parenting plan in place to discern your schedule, to discern how much is being paid from one to the other so that you could begin to set up your separate lives together. There’s a certain amount of care and concern that gets heard and worked through in those initial stages.

I founded this law practice based on that sense of I call it legal humanity that lawyers, I believe, have a fiduciary responsibility to their clients to settle their cases in the most dignified and resourceful way. And that’s what my commitment is to my clients, again, in whatever family context it is, and we become partners with each other as we do this work. I have the utmost respect for every one of my clients for who they are, where they are in their lives and a deep understanding and respect for how difficult they may be in at this stage.

Why I Do This Work?

I have been mediating, arbitrating and representing clients for the past 30 years. I have worked in diverse settings from high conflict family disputes to large dollar volume complex commercial matters. I have travelled across the US having the great privilege of settling intractable disputes and after all this work I have found that my true passion is working with individuals and families facing deep challenges involving most all family matters. My skills as a keen listener and strategic planner combined with my knowledge of the law serves as a valuable resource in resolving my client’s needs.

Legal Mediation Arbitration Experience

I have mediated hundreds of divorce cases across the Washington DC and Maryland regions. These matters have involved individuals from all walks of life from executives at the World Bank, the Department of Defense, doctors, lawyers, architects, LGBTQ, straight, religious/orthodox, international, out of state, home makers, state/federal employees. I have learned that no two cases are alike and by working together with my clients we are able to derive the best solutions possible for any given situation. I have served as a mediator and arbitrator for the past five years on behalf of the September 11, 2001, Victim Compensation Fund.

This work has touched me in profound ways. I will always remain in awe over the courage and spirit of the First Responders and everyone who participated in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center.

I recently:

  • Represented a Bronze Medal Purple Heart US Naval Commander in a law suit against the US Navy for discrimination based on his mental health disabilities caused by a traumatic brain injury. This matter resolved successfully on behalf of the client.
  • Mediated a dispute involving a Commercial office park valued at $40M where a father and mother transferred ownership 50–50 to their two sons. As the business grew and succeeded, the brothers grew apart in their approach and philosophy for managing the office park Working closely with estates and trusts experts, dealing with the interpersonal dynamics and devising a transfer of assets/sale, a settlement was worked out.
  • Served as a mediator in a dispute involving the Navajo Nation and Tucson Electric Co., involving a matter over a solar array being installed on the reservation and interruptible concerns by the utility. This matter resolved.
    Mediated an international divorce matter involving a child custody and visitation disputes. This matter settled in everyone’s interest.
  • Mediated complex commercial, environmental, public policy, and energy disputes across the US, while serving on the American Arbitration Association and the International Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution’s panel of arbitrators and mediators.
  • Mediated hundreds of employment disputes across the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia regions, involving the US Postal Service.
  • Mediated a closely held architectural firm whereby two partners were in dispute and a transfer of assets was the appropriate settlement solution. This matter settled successfully.

I graduated from Antioch School of Law with concentrated advanced studies in domestic relations law. I have completed advanced Master’s of Law coursework at George Washington University in contract law and completed studies at Harvard Law School in negotiation and mediation. I have completed hundreds of hours in professional development training in mediation and arbitration. I am a Maryland Conflict Dispute Resolution certified mediator and have served as a certified mediator for all the Circuit Courts for the State of Maryland.

Teaching and Training

I have served as an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School, the Catholic University Law School and the University of Baltimore Law School in the area of dispute resolution, mediation and mediator confidentiality. I have trained hundreds of government and corporate employees on the nuts and bolts of interest (principle) based negotiation. I am a frequent presenter at the American Bar Association and the Maryland State Bar Association dispute resolution programs. I am a past president of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation and served on their board of directors for 16 years. I also served on the board of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (formerly JRF), and the board of directors for Georgetown Law School’s Street Law Program. When I am not resolving disputes, I enjoy yoga, spinning, golf, and poker. I am married to Jody Shapiro and have two adult children, Arielle and Solly.

“I just wanted to send you a note to profoundly thank you for holding our hands through this most difficult process and guiding us to the other side- a process and side no one aspires to reach- but sometimes ends up as the only solution. Your humanity, patience, skill and ability to maintain neutrality was truly outstanding. We would have never gotten here without you.

I hope we achieve healing and can rediscover love and appreciation in a rebirth of a new relationship. I trust that this is a possibility if we practice the compassion you always reminded us of.

Warmest regards in this difficult time.” - Diane


“Steve Shapiro blends the roles of attorney and humanist–words not often placed together–in a manner unique in his profession. In other words, his legal talents are inextricably connected to his deep compassion and empathy for others.That combination of legal knowledge and interpersonal sensitivity helped me through two complex legal challenges in my life: an international divorce and, later, a prenuptial agreement. Friends of mine often ask me how it is that I remained so close to my ex-husband after our divorce; I give Steve the lion’s share of the credit for that. He listened carefully to both sides and gently moved the dialogue to compromise, carefully balancing the needs and interests of husband, wife, and two young children.That experience lay the groundwork for a warm and trusting family dynamic moving forward–what some might call “a great divorce.”In another phase of life, Steve used this same combination of legal expertise and humanistic understanding to generate a prenuptial agreement that helped blend two very different families.I am thankful to have walked these tumultuous legal grounds with Steve as my guide.”- N.Schnog


“I benefited from the services of Steve Shapiro in the mediation of the transfer of assets and ownership for my business when one partner elected to leave the partnership. Steve was broad-minded and nimble in constructing approaches by which we could develop strategies for the transfer. He employed different techniques as appropriate from the several common types of mediation, and was a tireless advocate for a process which would leave each partner in the best position possible. Steve has my wholehearted and strongest recommendation!”– A. Gardner

5 Star Reviews