Craig M. Shapiro

Craig M. Shapiro focuses his law practice on consumer protection, concentrating on litigation against debt collectors who have violated the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Clients and colleagues have trusted Craig with litigation in federal cases across the country, including in the states of California, Utah, Nebraska, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.

Recent published opinions, cases and settlements involving Craig include the following:

• Beasley v. Sessoms & Rogers, P.A., 2010 U.S.Dist.LEXIS 52010 (E.D.N.C. 2010). Plaintiff defeated in part Defendants' Motion to Dismiss, preserving multiple claims to proceed to decision on the merits.
• Outten v. Capital Management Services, L.P., 2010 U.S.Dist.LEXIS 54195 (S.D.Fla. 2010). Court certified a class and preliminarily approved settlement of over $21,000 for the class members.
• Acik v. I.C. System, Inc., 640 F.Supp.2d 1019 (N.D.Ill. 2009). Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment granted and denied in part. The parties settled on damages, while preserving the defendant's right to appeal. Although the defendant appealed, the case was resolved without a decision on appeal. The class members received $46,858.61, consisting of $40,086.11 in statutory damages and $6,772.50 in actual damages.
• Hicks v. Client Services, Inc., 257 F.R.D. 699 (S.D.Fla. 2009). Defeated Defendant's Motion to Decertify Class. The case was settled for $150,000 to the class members under the FDCPA. Broward County Legal Aid received more than $100,000 as a cy pres award.
• Gaisser v. Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC, 593 F.Supp.2d 1297 (S.D.Fla. 2009). Defeated Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment.
• Quiroz v. Revenue Production Management, Inc., 252 F.R.D. 438 (N.D.Ill. 2008). Plaintiff's Motion for Class Certification granted. The case was settled and the class received $22,500.
• Gaisser v. Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC, 571 F.Supp.2d 1273 (S.D.Fla. 2008). Defeated in part Defendants' Motions to Dismiss.
• Acik v. I.C. System, Inc., 251 F.R.D. 332 (N.D.Ill. 2008). Plaintiff's Motion for Class Certification granted.

Craig has prosecuted or is prosecuting cases on behalf of consumers against a wide variety of businesses, including JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.; JP Morgan Chase & Co.; Chase Bank, USA, NA; Global Credit & Collection Corp; Equable Ascent Financial; Comcast; OnProcess Technology, Inc.; Capital Management Services, LP; AFNI; Creditors Protection Service; HBLC; Healthcare Revenue Recovery Group; Dynamic Recovery Service; TrueLogic Financial Corporation; Trustmark Recovery Service; VMC & Associates; Weltman, Weinberg & Reis; Wolpoff & Abramson; National Bureau Collection Corp; Nationwide Credit & Collection; NCO Financial Systems; Penncro Associates; Premier Credit Corporation; Resurgent Capital Services, and Sallie Mae.

He has also filed lawsuits against Sentry Credit; Illinois Collection Unlimited; State Collection Service; Law Enforcement Systems; Leading Edge Recovery Solutions; LTD Financial Services; Luebke Baker & Associates; Malcolm S. Gerald & Associates; Merchants' Credit Guide Co.; Fox Collection; Midstate Collection Solutions; Millenium Credit Consultants; ICUL Service Corp.; Revenue Production Management; ER Solutions, Inc.; Glass Mountain Capital LLC; Harris & Harris; Illinois Collection Service; I.C. System; Fred Hanna & Associates; Keay & Costello; Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit; Biehl & Biehl; Blitt & Gaines; CB Accounts; Central Credit Services; Certified Services; Chase Receivables; Richard P Komyatte & Associates; Creditors Collection Bureau; Academy Collection Service; American Agencies, Inc.; ATG Credit, and Law Offices of Mitchell N. Kay.

Craig has been certified as a mediator by the Center for Conflict Resolution in Chicago. In his free time, Craig takes in Chicago Cubs games, spends time with his family, and enjoys attending as many live music concerts as he can.

Honors and Awards

Craig earned the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in the study of trial advocacy during law school. Incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1982 by the law schools of Harvard University and the University of Minnesota, the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction counts nearly all U.S. law schools in its membership.

Publications and Presentations

Craig's has lectured on several topics and current trends in consumer protection litigation, including:

State statutes of limitations and choice of law issues regarding Fair Debt Collection Practices Act violations

National Consume Law Center Conference
Seattle, Washington, March 3-4, 2011

Recent developments in litigation regarding the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act

Craig was also a member of a three-person panel that discussed and fielded audience questions on ethical issues in class action administration

National Consumer Law Center Conferences
Jacksonville, Florida, March 5-6, 2010.