HOME SEARCH RESOURCES CONTACT
 
 
 
 
  HOWARD SHAPIRO    
Phone 504.310.4085
howshapiro@proskauer.com
 
PARTNER
   
Picture of HOWARD SHAPIRO

Press Room

In The News
Via BlackBerrys and Backup Systems, Attorneys Working through Gustav
High Court Affirms 6th Circ. in MetLife ERISA Suit
Employee Free Choice Act: Will You Be Prepared?

Client Alerts
U.S. Supreme Court Holds Plaintiffs in Age Discrimination Suits to Higher Standard
California Court of Appeal Reverses $105m Judgment In Starbucks Case and Clarifies Permissible Tip-Allocation Practices
NLRB Will Continue to Decide Cases With Only Two Members

Newsletters
The ERISA Litigation Newsletter
The ERISA Litigation Newsletter
The ERISA Litigation Newsletter

Press Releases
Proskauer Rose Excels Nationally in 2009 Chambers USA with Strong Increases in Practices, Lawyers Recognized
Proskauer Rose Widely Recognized in 2008 Chambers USA
Proskauer Rose Congratulates 80 Lawyers Named in The Best Lawyers in America® 2008

Speaking Engagements
ERISA Plans: Compliance & Claims-Trips, Trips and Traps for Unwary

View all HOWARD SHAPIRO's Press Room Items

New Orleans Office:
650 Poydras Street, Suite 1800
Fax 504.310.2022

Practice Areas:
Employee Benefits
Labor & Employment
Employee Benefits Litigation
Education:
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF LAW, J.D., 1979
MCGILL UNIVERSITY, M.A., 1975
TULANE UNIVERSITY, B.A., 1972
 
Bar Admission:
LOUISIANA
 
Court Admissions:
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, TENTH CIRCUIT
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, FIFTH CIRCUIT
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, SIXTH CIRCUIT
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, SEVENTH CIRCUIT
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, NINTH CIRCUIT
U.S. DISTRICT COURT, LOUISIANA, EASTERN DISTRICT
U.S. DISTRICT COURT, LOUISIANA, MIDDLE DISTRICT
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
U.S. DISTRICT COURT, LOUISIANA, WESTERN DISTRICT
U.S. DISTRICT COURT, COLORADO
 
Bar Affiliations:
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION JOINT COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, CHAIR, 1997 - 1998
THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION LABOR & EMPLOYMENT LAW SECTION, CO-CHAIR, 1985-1988
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW SECTION, CHAIR, AUGUST 2004 - AUGUST 2005
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, BOARD OF GOVERNORS, MEMBER, APRIL 2006 - AUGUST 2006
 
Other Affiliation:
THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT COUNSEL, FOUNDING FELLOW AND INITIAL MEMBER
 
Biography:

Howard Shapiro is a nationally known ERISA litigator, listed by The National Law Journal as one of the Top 40 Benefits Lawyers in the country in the category of litigators representing management. In 2006, Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business ranked Howard in the first tier of ERISA litigators, and commends him as "a top class national player" with an "excellent practice with both breadth and depth." He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 1997, where he is one of few lawyers listed in two separate categories: ERISA and Labor/Employment. Also, he was named one of the "Top 50 Lawyers in New Orleans" by New Orleans CityBusiness.

Howard's national ERISA litigation practice has focused on defending matters raising sophisticated preemption issues; fiduciary issues; fiduciary misrepresentation claims; ESOP litigation issues; 401(k) plan issues; blackout period cases; plan asset diversification issues; prohibited transaction allegations; directed trustee issues; cash balance cases; independent contractor litigation; "serious consideration" cases; retiree rights litigation; severance pay cases; executive compensation/"top hat" litigation; Section 510 cases; benefit claims cases; ERISA class actions; and class-wide challenges to health plans that do not offer contraception benefits. He has appeared in federal courts from coast to coast, maintaining an active national ERISA litigation practice.

Howard was one of the founding fellows and initial members of the Board of Governors of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel. He now serves as President of the Benefits College. He also has maintained an active membership in the American Bar Association that has spanned his career. Most recently, in April 2006, he was appointed a member of the ABA Board of Governors. From 2004 until 2005, he served a one-year term as the Chair of the Section of Labor & Employment Law. From 1997 to 1998, he chaired the ABA's Joint Committee on Employee Benefits, which comprises the Employee Benefits Committees of the ABA Sections of Business Law, Health Law, Labor & Employment Law, Real Property Probate and Trust Law, Taxation, and Torts Insurance Practice. From 1985 to 1988, he served as Management Co-Chair of the Employee Benefits Committee of the ABA's Section of Labor & Employment Law. He also is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, again acknowledging the nature of his practice as one of the few attorneys who are members of the Labor College and the Benefits College.

Howard was a co-author of Employee Benefits Law, a treatise originally published by BNA in 1991 and updated with annual supplements. He also served as a senior editor/author of Employee Benefits Law, Second Edition, published in 2000. He has written law review articles, outlines, and other publications in the ERISA litigation area. He speaks frequently at national seminars and other programs on ERISA litigation topics.

Howard received his J.D. from Loyola University School of Law, where he served as Comment Editor of the Loyola Law Review. He received his M.A. from McGill University and his B.A. from Tulane University.

 
   
  ^top