Experience Matters: Over 160 Combined Years Of Legal Insight
Biography
Mr. Shapiro attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and received his Bachelor’s degree in 1984 and his master’s degree in 1986. He graduated from Whittier College School of Law in 1990, Magna Cum Laude. He has practiced in family law since 1990 and has served as a Domestic Violence Commissioner, pro tempore, URESA/Paternity Hearing Master, Alternate, Municipal Court Judge, Alternate, Judicial Referee, Las Vegas Justice Court, Small Claims. Mr. Shapiro has written several articles in the area of family law and has served on the Nevada Children’s Justice Task Force, Clark County Family Court Bench-Bar Committee, State Bar of Nevada, Child Support Review Committee, the State Bar of Nevada Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board, State Bar of Nevada Standing Committee on Judicial Ethics and Election Practices and the Continuing Legal Education Committee. Mr. Shapiro also served on the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Nevada from 2003-2005 and 2008 – 2010.
Education
- Whittier College School of Law, Los Angeles, California
- J.D. - 1990
- Honors: magna cum laude
- Honors: Teaching Assistant, Contracts
- Honors: American Bar Association Award, Local Government
- Honors: American Jurisprudence Award, Contracts
- Honors: Deans’s Merit Scholarship
- Honors: David Holtz Memorial Scholarship
- Honors: Dean’s List
- Honors: Honor Roll
- Honors: American Jurisprudence Award, Constitutional Law
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada
- M.A. - 1986
- Major: Political Science
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada
- B.A. - 1984
- Major: Political Science
Bar Admissions
- Nevada, 1990
- U.S. District Court District of Nevada, 1991
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association, 1990 to Present
- American Bar Association, Family Law Division, 1990 to Present
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow, 2016 to Present
- Clark County Bar Association
- Clark County Family Court Bench, Bar Committee, 1994 to 1995
- Council of Appellate Lawyers, 2004
- State Bar of Nevada Annual Advanced Family Law CLE, Moderator, 2003 to 2023
- Nevada Children’s Justice Task Force
- Supreme Court of Nevada, Bench-Bar Committee, 2008 to Present
- State Bar of Nevada, 1990 to Present
- State Bar of Nevada, Board of Governors, 2003 - 2005, 2008 - 2010
- State Bar of Nevada, Child Support Review Committee , 1992, 1996
- State Bar of Nevada, CLE Committee, 2000 to 2003
- State Bar of Nevada, Executive Committee, Family Law Division
- State Bar of Nevada, Family Law Division, 1990 to Present
- State Bar of Nevada, Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board, 1995 - 2003, 2006 - 2008, 2010 - 2012
- State Bar of Nevada, Standing Committee on Judicial Ethics and Election Practices, 2001 to 2010
- State Bar of Nevada; Clark County Bar Association; American Bar Association, Family Law Section; Clark County Community College, Speaker
Honors
- Avvo (rated 10 out of 10)
- Best Lawyers, U.S. News and World Report, 2012 - Present
- Best Lawyers, U.S. News and World Report Family Law Lawyer of the Year, Las Vegas, 2016, 2018, 2022
- Martindale-Hubbell Client Distinction Award, 2012
- Clark County Pro Bono Project Award, 1991
- Super Lawyers, 2008-2018
Published Works
- Shapiro and Winesett, “Establishing and Developing a New Family Law Practice, Part 6: Fees and Billing,” 33 Nevada Family Law Report 11 (Fall 2019/Winter 2020)
- Shapiro, “Establishing and Developing a New Family Law Practice, Part 5: Marketing,” 32 Nevada Family Law Report 11 (Winter 2019)
- Shapiro, “Establishing and Developing a New Family Law Practice, Part 4: Marketing,” 32 Nevada Family Law Report 1 (Winter 2019)
- Shapiro, “Establishing and Developing a New Family Law Practice, Part 3: Hiring the Right Personnel,” 31 Nevada Family Law Report 7 (Spring 2018)
- Shapiro and Winesett, “Establishing and Developing a New Family Law Practice, Part:2 The Little Things Matter,” 31 Nevada Family Law Report 6 (Winter 2018)
- Shapiro, “Four Myths of the Bench,” 30 Nevada Family Law Report 1 (Fall 2017)
- Shapiro, “Four Simple Rules To Remember When Defending A Deposition,” 29 Nevada Family Law Report 3 (Summer 2016)
- Shapiro, “Establishing and Developing a New Family Law Practice,” 28 Nevada Family Law Report 2 (Summer 2015)
- Shapiro, “NRS 125B.020(3) is Antiquated, Unfair and Unconstitutional,” 26 Nevada Family Law Report 1 (Winter 2013)
- Shapiro, “The Overruling of Magiera v. Luera,” 25 Nevada Family Law Report 3 (Fall 2012)
- Shapiro and Jones, “Alimony in Nevada, Part I,” 25 Nevada Family Law Report 2 (Summer 2012)
- Shapiro, “Nevada Strikes Out On Alimony,” 25 Nevada Family Law Report 1 (Winter 2012)
- Shapiro, The Evolution of Nevada Child Support, 24 Nevada Family Law Report 2 (Spring 2011)
- Shapiro, Community Waste in Nevada, 23 Nevada Family Law Report 3 (Winter 2010)
- Shapiro, Magiera v. Luera: Reexamination of Children’s Surnames in Paternity Cases, 14 Nevada Family Law Report 1 (Winter 1999)
- Shapiro, Child Support Awards in Shared Custody Cases, 13 Nevada Family Law Report 3 (Fall, 1998)
- Shapiro, Willful Underemployment Under NRS 125B.080(8), 13 Nevada Family Law Report 1 (Winter, 1998)
- Shapiro, The Lost Factors of NRS 125B.080(9): Deviating From Child Support Guidelines, 12 Nevada Family Law Report 1 (Spring, 1997)
- Shapiro, Herz v. Gabler-Herz; Wealth As A Proper Consideration In Setting Child Support Award, 8 Nevada Family Law Report 1 (Fall, 1993)
- Shapiro, Equitable Defenses To Child Support Arrearages: Parkinson v. Parkinson, 106 Nev. Adv. Op. 91 (1990), 56 Inter Alia 20 (1991)
- Shapiro, The Heavy Burden Of Establishing Weight As A Handicap Under Anti-Discrimination Statutes, 18 Western State Law Review 565 (Spring 1991)
- Note, From Boyd to Brazwell: The Restriction of Fifth Amendment Privilege Against Self-Incrimination Pertaining To Custodians of Corporate Records, 11 Whittier Law Review 295 (1989)
Classes & Seminars
- Opening and Developing a New Law Practice, State Bar of Nevada, October 4, 2018
- Litigating Parental Alienation Syndrome in Family Court, State Bar of Nevada, December 8, 2005
- Recent Child Custody Issues, State Bar of Nevada, December 2, 2004
- Appealing a Family Law Case,” Part of “Essentials of Family Court", State Bar of Nevada, December 16, 2003
- Gambling with Your Family: Between Love and Obsession, ABA Spring CLE Conference, May 1, 2003
Representative Cases
- Davitian-Kostanian v. Kostanian, 139 Nev. Ad. Op. 27 (August 31, 2023)
- Arcella v. Arcella, 133 Nev. Ad. Op. 104 (December 26, 2017)
- Nguyen v. Boynes, 133 Nev. Ad. Op. 32 (June 22, 2017)
- Petit v. Adrianzen, 133 Nev. Ad. Op. 15 (April 13, 2017)
- Ivey v. Ivey, 129 Nev. Ad. Op. 16 (March 28, 2013)
- Rivero v. Rivero, 125 Nev. 410, 216 P.3d 213 (2009)
- Johanson v. Eighth Judicial District Court, 124 Nev. 245, 182 P.3d 94 (2008)
- Millen v. Eighth Judicial District Court, 122 Nev. 1245, 148 P.3d 694 (2006)
- McClintock v. McClintock, 122 Nev. 842, 138 P.3d 513 (2006)
- Hudson v. Jones, 122 Nev 708, 138 P.3d 429 (2006)
- Potter v. Potter, 121 Nev. 613, 119 P.3d 1246 (2005) (amicus brief on behalf of Family Law Section, State Bar of Nevada)
- Kirkpatrick v. Eighth Judicial District Court, 119 Nev. 66, 64 P.3d 1056 (2003)
- Wright v. Osburn, 114 Nev. 1367, 970 P.2d 1071 (1998)
- Hopper v. Hopper, 113 Nev. 1138, 946 P.2d 171 (1997)
- Khaldy v. Khaldy, 111 Nev. 374, 892 P.2d 584 (1995)
- Lewis v. Hicks, 108 Nev. 1107, 843 P.2d 828 (1992)
Pro-Bono Activities
- Nevada Children's Justice Task Force
Past Positions
- Domestic Violence Commissioner, Pro Tempore Eighth Judicial District Court Las Vegas, Nevada December, 1997 – November, 2000
- Uresa/Paternity Hearing Master, Alternate Eighth Judicial District Court Las Vegas, Nevada October, 1994 – November, 2000
- Municipal Court Judge, Alternate Las Vegas Municipal Court Las Vegas, Nevada April, 1999 – October, 2000
- Justice of the Peace, Pro Tempore Las Vegas Justice Court Las Vegas, Nevada January, 1999 – October, 2000
- Judicial Referee Las Vegas Justice Court—Small Claims Las Vegas, Nevada February, 1992 – 1994
- Associate William R. Phillips & Associates Las Vegas, Nevada August, 1992 – January, 1993
- Associate the Law Offices of Kent J. Dawson, Chartered Las Vegas, Nevada September, 1990 – August, 1992
- Realtor Las Vegas, Nevada 1982 – 1986