Howard Shapiro - Plano, TX

Howard Shapiro: Dishonest billing practices, lack of communication, poor representation. Had to fire him. BILLING: His contract uses deceptive language to trick you into thinking the fee arrangement is something other than what it is. He does this by using language that most people assume is a typical retainer fee agreement (where any balance of funds will be returned upon completion of the case), but he buries a few lines of legalese in the contract that ensures he keeps all fees even if the case is settled quickly. This incentivizes him to do the bare minimum necessary to get a settlement (or possibly dismissal) so he can keep the entire balance of the retainer with as little effort as possible. POOR REPRESENTATION: Because of the billing structure, Howard was giving me poor legal advice and capitulating to opposing counsel at every step. Additionally, he did not review documents and submitted documents to the court that stalled the case and entered me into bad legal arrangements that any high-integrity lawyer would have never allowed. His dereliction of duty alone cost me thousands of dollars during my case. LACK OF COMMUNICATION: If you hire him, be prepared to be ghosted for weeks at a time. I had to email and call multiple times over several weeks before I would get a response. SUMMARY: If you still want to hire Howard, make sure you read the entirety of the contract. He will try to pressure you into signing it on the spot using car salesman-like tactics. I recommend avoiding this law firm entirely and going with a more honest and reputable law firm for you family law matters.