Overview

As an accomplished litigator, Ashley Shapiro delivers exceptional representation to clients focusing on white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations and corporate compliance matters. She has significant experience at both the federal and state levels across many jurisdictions, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. She also handles civil litigation matters, including the defense of False Claims Act/qui tam actions.

Ashley represents both individuals and corporations in criminal and regulatory enforcement actions. These matters include federal and state government investigations, specifically State Attorneys General investigating grand juries and federal grand juries. Her matters often include allegations of political/public corruption, health care fraud, Medicare/Medicaid fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, tax violations and RICO. Ashley’s work spans across a range of sectors, including health care and life sciences, higher education, financial services and environmental and energy. Ashley has also successfully defended individuals accused of crimes in Philadelphia and New Jersey Municipal Courts.

Ashley has extensive experience handling administrative proceedings, such as Title IX investigations and student disciplinary matters. She represents students who are under investigation or who have been disciplined by their school for alleged violations of sexual assault or harassment or the student code of conduct policies. Ashley often represents the students in parallel criminal proceedings as well. She also represents members of the U.S. Armed Forces facing military prosecutions for violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, parallel criminal investigations/prosecutions of military members in civilian courts, as well as cases involving administrative separation from the military.

Ashley’s practice also involves civil litigation in state and federal courts that have an underlying criminal issue or parallel proceeding, such as matters involving RICO, sexual abuse claims and environmental issues.

Ashley serves on the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Board of Directors and is Co-Chair of the Rules Committee; she is also a member of the White Collar and CLE Committees. She is involved with the Women’s White Collar Defense Association, serving as the Co-Chair of the Programming Committee for the Philadelphia Chapter, and is a member of the Developmental Committee – Chapters Activities Team for the National Chapter. Ashley is a member of the Federal Criminal Law Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey.

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Results

Representative Matters

Federal White-Collar Matters

  • obtained favorable sentencing in a government contracting fraud investigation, where the client was sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation in the Eastern District of Virginia after having negotiated a guilty plea to one count of misprision of a felony in connection with a fraud investigation involving misrepresentations made in connection with NASA contracts
  • secured a declination of criminal prosecution in a health care-related fraud matter and negotiated a consent decree with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, which resolved numerous alleged violations of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law without any admission of liability by the client
  • in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania obtained a dismissal of all charges relating to the alleged improper filling of two out-of-date propane cylinders, in violation of Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials regulations, that resulted in a deadly explosion on a food truck in Philadelphia. The client pled guilty to two counts of regulatory violations involving the failure to properly train and document the training of two employees at a U-Haul facility he managed in 2014. Despite the government’s efforts to obtain a period of incarceration, the defendant was sentenced to two years of probation, a small fine and community service
  • in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey represented client CEO, who was accused of embezzling more than $1 million from the company over the course of several years. Client faced advisory federal sentencing guidelines that called for a period of incarceration of 15 to 21 months but received a sentence of six months

Pennsylvania State Matters

  • secured reversal at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court of the forfeiture of a former Philadelphia County Municipal Court judge’s state pension by the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS). After the judge pleaded guilty to two charges of violating 18 U.S.C. Section 1001, making false statements to federal investigators, SERS informed him that by doing so, he forfeited his pension under the Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act (Act 140) and that the violation of the federal statute was “substantially the same” as violating 18 Pa.C.S. Section 4906. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the statutes were not identical, overturning the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court’s ruling as precedent set in Merlino v. Philadelphia Board of Pensions and Retirement
  • defended a juvenile in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas accused of aggravated assault, conspiracy, possession of a weapon and related charges. After extensive investigation, evidence that the juvenile was misidentified was presented to the District Attorney’s Office, which dismissed all charges and agreed to an expungement of his record
  • defended client in the Philadelphia County Municipal Court, charged with felony Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and related misdemeanors. Successfully argued that the felony should be dismissed for lack of evidence at the preliminary hearing level. When listed for trial, the matter was dismissed for lack of prosecution
  • successfully argued in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas that Defendant’s sentence of 10-20 years should be vacated, and a new trial should be granted based on prior counsel’s ineffective representation
  • defended client in the Philadelphia County Municipal Court, charged with Aggravated Assault by Vehicle DUI (F2), DUI, Simple Assault and Recklessly Endangering Another Person involving a severe motor vehicle accident where the other driver had substantial injuries. Obtained a sentence of four years probation for misdemeanor charges

New Jersey State Matters

  •  obtained an official pardon from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for a client who was arrested in 2013 and convicted of unlawful possession of a handgun. The client, a Pennsylvania business owner who had no prior criminal record, had been target shooting and inadvertently left his hunting rifles in his vehicle when driving in New Jersey. Ashley filed a Petition for Executive Clemency on the client’s behalf, and, following numerous phone calls, emails and in-person interviews, Governor Christie granted the pardon, which is one of only 27 granted in his eight years in office
  • represented a national company’s employee who was charged with criminal trespass and mischief in New Jersey Municipal Court in connection with a job-related incident. All charges were dismissed
  • New Jersey Appellate Division, successfully advocated for Appellee in an extensive brief where the Appellant challenged the dismissal of a Temporary Restraining Order
  • defended client in the Hunterdon County Superior Court accused of Endangering the Welfare of a Child for driving while under the influence with a minor in the vehicle. Client was placed into a diversionary program known as PTI which resulted in the dismissal of the criminal charge and expungement of the client’s record upon successful completion of the program
  • successfully defended plaintiffs and defendants in final restraining order trials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where substantial issues of rights and liabilities were at issue

Education Matters

  • represented client in connection with felony criminal charges and Title IX disciplinary violations. All criminal charges against the client were dismissed after the university found the client not responsible for multiple alleged student conduct violations. As a result, the client did not face expulsion from college and had his criminal record expunged.
  • represented a student defendant in a criminal investigation where the district attorney’s office declined to prosecute.

Miscellaneous Matters

  • obtained an unprecedented furlough from FCI-Ft. Dix for a client to attend his son’s funeral

 

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Credentials

Bar Admissions
  • Pennsylvania
  • New Jersey
  • New York
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Education
  • LL.M. Trial Advocacy, Temple University Beasley School of Law
  • J.D., cum laude, Florida A & M University College of Law
  • B.A., cum laude, University of Central Florida
Memberships

  • Co-Chair, Stradley Ronon Pro Bono Committee
  • Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL)
    – Present – Treasurer 
    – Present – Co-Chair of Education Committee
    – 2021 – Present: Board of Directors
    – 2022 – 2024: Co-Chair of Rules Committee
    – Member of White-Collar Committee
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • Women’s White-Collar Defense Association – Philadelphia Chapter
    – 2020 – December 2023:Present: Co-Chair of Programing Committee
  • Women’s White-Collar Defense Association – National Chapter
  • Women’s White Collar-Defense Association, New Jersey Chapter
  • Federal Criminal Law Committee, Eastern District of Pennsylvania Federal Bar Association
  • Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey
  • Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, New Jersey
  • Camden County Bar Association

News

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Speaking Engagements

  • Moderator, “Clear Their Records: A Refresher on Clean Slate and Expungements” PACDL
  • Presenter, “DWI Forum 2024 – The Essential Update,” New Jersey State Bar Association
  • Presenter, “Regional Economic Perspective,” Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey
  • Presenter, “Internal Investigations: Avoiding Legal Pitfalls and Best Practices,” Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey CLE
  • Presenter, “Summer Trouble at the Jersey Shore,” CLE
  • Presenter, “Crypto Enforcement: Developing Trends in Civil and Criminal Enforcement Efforts by DOJ, SEC and Other Regulators,” Stradley Ronon CLE
  • Presenter, “Key Considerations for Representing Individuals in Student Conduct Hearings and Parallel Criminal Proceedings,” Camden County Bar Association
  • Presenter, “Subpoenas, Search Warrants and Government Interviews: Now What?” Camden County Bar Association
  • Presenter, “Internal Investigations: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Challenges Faced by In-House Counsel,” PACDL White Collar Practice Webinar
  • Presenter, “Warning: State Attorney General Investigations of COVID-19 Fraud on the Rise and All Industries Are Exposed,” Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL)
  • Panelist, “The Balancing of Perspectives in a Changing Title IX Landscape: Institutions, Complainants, and Respondents,” Montgomery Bar Association
  • Moderator, “Truth and Consequences of Motor Vehicle Offenses on the Other Side of the Bridge,” PACDL Talking Criminal Law at the Beach: PA and NJ Practice Nuances, Tips, and Pitfalls to Avoid Seminar
  • Panelist, The Philadelphia Chapter of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association special Earth Week-themed Panel Discussion
  • Presenter, “Summer Trouble at the Jersey Shore: How to Help Your Clients, Friends, and Family!” Stradley Ronon CLE Seminar
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Recognitions

  • Chambers USA (Pennsylvania: Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations) (2024)
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers – White-Collar and Criminal Defense
  • New York Super Lawyers, Rising Star – White-Collar and Criminal Defense
  • New York, Women’s Edition, Super Lawyers, Rising Star – White-Collar and Criminal Defense
  • The Best Lawyers in America
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Star – White-Collar and Criminal Defense
  • New Jersey Super Lawyers, Rising Star – White-Collar and Criminal Defense
  • The Legal Intelligencer, Lawyers on the Fast Track
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