In the 1990s, Shapiro became controversial for his self-promotional television commercials[REF] in which he promised to obtain large financial settlements for accident victims,[REF] referred to himself as "the meanest, nastiest S.O.B. in town"[REF] and claimed to have "aggressive courtroom prowess" [REF].
In 2007, Shapiro's advertisements were cited by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle as partial inspiration for a new set of rules the New York State Court System has implemented that limit attorneys' advertisements.