Norman Shabel

Norman Shabel, a native Brooklynite and successful New Jersey class-action lawyer, has cultivated a love of storytelling throughout his life. He wrote several novels in his twenties, though they went unnoticed as he pursued his law career, marriage, and family.

With a portfolio of eight novels and seven plays, Norman frequently drew inspiration from long waits for jury verdicts, writing longhand to preserve his thoughts. His work masterfully interweaves themes of crime and the intricacies of family life, reflecting the dramatic nature of human experience.

“Courtrooms are full of drama, and I learned early on the similarities between law and theater,” he recalls. For Norman, good storytelling is essential; engaging a jury’s imagination is like engaging an audience with a good story. “If you can’t hold them in the first 20 minutes, you’ll lose them. I try to keep every listener and reader on the ride.”