That Defend
At Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake, our clients are our priority. In every step of the process, we make sure to keep them informed and involved as we fight for the very best possible outcome.
Howard County, Maryland, Defense Attorneys
Bringing More Than 50 Years of Collective Legal Experience to Each Case We Take
When your rights and future are on the line, a bad case outcome can be devastating. Since 2005, Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake has helped Maryland residents fight their court battles and preserve their interests. We are your friends who defend. Our boutique law firm keeps a short client list so we can give each case our full attention.
Ultimately, we do not simply defend criminal charges. We defend people, and we work to understand precisely what is at stake in each person’s life. Whether you need a Howard County criminal defense attorney or a personal injury attorney after someone else’s negligence, our lawyers will work toward an outcome built around your needs and situation. Your first consultation is free and carries no obligation.
Call (410) 927-5137 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation with a Howard County criminal defense attorney.
Defense Built Around Who You Are
We spend considerable time learning who our clients are beyond the incident bringing them into the criminal justice system. Their childhood, education, employment, relationships, mental health, addiction history, trauma, family responsibilities, and aspirations all matter when they bear on the case. Our clients are people with families, careers, responsibilities, struggles, and circumstances worth understanding.
We also distinguish between winning a legal argument and securing an outcome that improves someone’s life. Avoiding incarceration, preserving professional licensure, protecting employment, preventing a conviction, or avoiding unnecessary probation sometimes matter more to a client than an abstract legal victory. This means we ask about your job, your license, and your family before we recommend a path.
Why Everything Matters in Your Case
One concept has defined our practice for years: Everything Matters.
Details like these shape how we build a defense:
- A police report detail – A seemingly insignificant detail in a police report sometimes reveals a constitutional issue.
- A previously unidentified witness – A previously unidentified witness sometimes changes the trajectory of a serious felony prosecution.
- A childhood experience – A childhood experience sometimes explains conduct which initially appears inexplicable.
- A conversation with a prosecutor – A conversation with a prosecutor before the first court appearance sometimes changes the direction of a case.
Criminal defense requires the ability to be a litigator and a counselor. We must be willing to challenge the state aggressively when the law or evidence demands it, but equally willing to pursue practical, humane resolutions when doing so serves our clients.
Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Cases We Handle
We are aggressive litigators and pragmatic problem solvers. Our criminal defense work covers misdemeanors, felonies, and traffic matters, and our personal injury practice represents people injured because of another person’s negligence.
Our attorneys represent clients in matters such as:
- DUI/DWI defense – We weigh what a charge means for your license, job, and family.
- Traffic offenses – We handle serious traffic offenses in District Court and Circuit Court.
- Misdemeanor and felony charges – Theft, assault, firearms, sex offenses, and homicide, handled with investigation and witness development.
- Juvenile matters – We consider the effect on your whole family.
- Probation violations – We test whether the facts support the alleged violation.
- Personal injury – We represent people injured because of another person’s negligence, with contingency fee pricing for qualifying matters.
At Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake (SZL) we believe in thinking differently from most lawyers and law firms. We help our clients understand and accept their legal situation; we work with them to confront and improve that situation, while seeking the best outcome available at law. We recognize that each client is a unique individual, each deserving of the highest client/customer service; and we just happen to get our clients excellent results while we deliver that exceptional service.
Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake has been named to the Best Law Firms in America – 2026
Edition, earning Regional Tier 1 recognition in Baltimore for Criminal Defense: General
Practice and Regional Tier 2 for DUI/DWI Defense. This honor reflects our continued
commitment to providing exceptional representation, protecting our clients’ rights,
and achieving results in even the most challenging cases.
See Why We're the Right Choice
Reasons to Choose Our Firm
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We approach every case as a team.
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Every initial consultation is free and no-obligation.
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We are available for you 24/7.
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We are a team of former prosecutors and know how the other side thinks.
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We have in-house payment plan options on qualifying cases.
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We are highly recommended and awarded by various associations.
Meet Our Team
Over 50 Years of Collective Legal Experience
Rave Reviews from Happy Clients
Interested in seeing what our clients have to say? Head over to our Reviews page to read more. Our firm keeps a short client list in order to make sure we can offer the close attention your case deserves. With us on your side, you can feel confident that we will use our industry experience and relationships to give you the best possible outcome for your situation. Do not hesitate to call us and find out what Shapiro Zwanetz & Lake can do for you. Call now.
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"Mr. Lake's reputation for integrity, diligence and competence which he earned as a former Assistant States Attorney and while he has been in private practice aided him in achieving the result he did."I am a retired Attorney who recommended a personal friend to Justin Lake. I received his name by speaking with an old friend of mine who is still considered one of the top criminal lawyers in Maryland. My friend was clearly guilty of driving while impaired as was evidenced by a video taken at the scene by the investigating officer and the fact that he failed the breathalyzer test. A verdict of Probation Before Judgement or Guilty would have been life altering for him and his family in that it could have resulted in his deportation from this Country and the absolute prohibition of his being able to apply for admission of his family in to the United States. My friend had learned that he had been granted asylum three days before he was charged. Aside from that charge he had an impeccable record. He is employed by a continuing care community where his service is valued which is evidenced by the excellent job reviews he has consistently received. Mr. Lake was engaged to represent him and charged a fee customary for representing someone charged with such an infraction. I know from my experience that he expended far more time on the case than he was compensated for, but he did not ask for an increase in the fee. He spoke multiple times with an Assistant State's Attorney of the County as well as the States Attorney, removed the case to a higher Court and with the Assistant State's Attorney met with the Circuit Court Judge of the County. At that meeting Mr. Lake introduced a legal opinion prepared by my friend's immigration attorneys with whom he conferred which set forth the aforementioned consequences that would ensue were any judgment aside from a PBJ(C) entered. It is the only judgment that would not impact his and his family's immigration status. Such a judgment is extremely rare. I am of the opinion that Mr. Lake's reputation for integrity, diligence and competence which he earned as a former Assistant States Attorney and while he has been in private practice aided him in achieving the result he did.- Rosser
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"Will Be In Good Hands"I never hesitate to refer any potential clients with criminal defense needs to Justin Lake or David Zwanetz- Joe M.
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