We understand the delicate nature of family conflicts. Our compassionate mediators provide a supportive environment where families can find common ground and reach lasting solutions, ensuring a harmonious future for all members involved.
Steve Shapiro is committed to resolving your dispute in a comprehensive and transformative way. Our goal is that you leave this challenging and difficult episode of your life feeling whole and complete, ready for a bright next chapter.
We serve clients facing critical life decisions including those considering separation, divorce, elder care, and family business disputes. Our clients are from all walks of life, the military, government, business owners, employees, LGBT, retirees and anyone who is seeking help in facing this type of difficult life situation.
Our team is aware of the individual challenges brought on by a family separation, whether through marital change, death, or the breakup of a family business. The team is versed in all aspects of the law and in the trauma-based field of experience that often is impacted by this type of change. The balance and understanding of these two forces at play in the negotiation process are key to providing a durable, sustainable, and sound agreement in yours and your family’s interest.
As a seasoned Family Lawyer with an accomplished career resolving complex family business disputes, Steve is recognized as a go-to resource and expert on Business Disputes, Family Mediation, and Collaborative Law. With a commitment to guiding families through challenging legal matters with empathy and compassion, Steve has successfully mediated a high volume of cases, offering alternative paths to resolving longstanding conflicts and preserving relationships. Leveraging innovative approaches such as the Partnership Charter model, Steve helps families navigate the intricate dynamics of business ownership and succession planning and serves as a trusted advocate and ally for the most complex family business disputes.
We partner with the David Gage Partnership Charter bringing a wealth of experience facilitating productive discussions and crafting sustainable agreements tailored to each family’s unique needs and aspirations. Steve extends a collaborative approach beyond legal representation, working seamlessly within integrated teams of professionals, including lawyers, parenting coaches, financial neutrals, and child specialists, to provide a holistic approach. As a member of the DC Academy of Collaborative Professionals (DCACP) and Maryland Collaborative Professionals, Steve contributes to the advancement of collaborative practices and promotes peaceful resolutions.
With a sincere dedication to education and mentorship, Steve has served as a guest lecturer at George Washington University Law School, Georgetown Law School, and the University of Maryland Law School, where he shared insights gleaned from years of practical experience in family law and dispute resolution. As a 30-plus-year veteran in the legal field, Steve is committed to providing world-class service, deep expertise, and a high-touch client experience to find common ground and ensure win-win resolutions.
My name is Steve Shapiro and 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.
Specializing in collaborative law and mediation for families seeking to avoid litigation, while maintaining relationships.
Hear the stories of transformation from those who have found harmony through our guidance.
Unlock the difference with our decades of experience and unwavering commitment to fairness, collaboration, and understanding ensure that your journey to resolution is guided with expertise and empathy. Trust in our proven track record of delivering sustainable solutions and leaving a positive impact on every client we serve.
Experience guidance infused with genuine care and understanding, ensuring your family's journey is supported with empathy and compassion.
Uncover a spectrum of services meticulously designed to cater to your distinct circumstances and requirements.
Family Mediation
Personalized mediation services for families, offering compassionate support to navigate and resolve family disputes. Our approach ensures clear communication and understanding, leading to amicable solutions that respect the interests of all parties involved.
Take the first step towards resolving family conflicts and fostering harmony within your family. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our compassionate mediators.
Crafting Solutions with Methodical Expertise
Discover and then organize the facts around its impacts on all parties individually and combined.
Encourage open communication and collaboration among involved parties to explore potential solutions.
Implement tailored strategies to reach a sustainable resolution that meets the needs of all stakeholders.
Find solutions to common questions about our services, process, and more in our FAQ section.
Our mediation services cover a broad spectrum of family disputes, including disagreements over parenting plans, division of assets, inheritance matters, and conflicts arising from divorce or separation.
The duration of mediation varies depending on the complexity of the issues and the level of cooperation among family members. While some cases may be resolved in a few sessions, others may require several meetings spread over weeks or months.
Ideally, the participation of all relevant family members is encouraged to ensure that everyone’s perspectives are heard and considered. However, in some cases, mediation may proceed with the involvement of only certain family members, depending on the nature of the conflict.
While mediation itself is not legally binding, any agreements reached during the process can be formalized into legally binding contracts if all parties consent. This provides a flexible and collaborative approach to resolving family disputes while maintaining autonomy over the outcome.
