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Robert Shapiro (lawyer)

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For other people with the same name, see Robert Shapiro.

Robert Shapiro
File:Robert-shapiro.jpg
Shapiro in an ad for LegalZoom
Born
Robert Leslie Shapiro

(1942-09-02) September 2, 1942 (age 82)
Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Loyola Marymount University
Occupation(s)Attorney, entrepreneur
Spouse
Linell Thomas
​
(m. 1970)​
Children2

Robert Leslie Shapiro (born September 2, 1942) is an American lawyer. In 1994, he was a member of the "Dream Team" of attorneys that successfully defended O. J. Simpson in 1995, from the charges that he murdered his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. He later turned to civil work and co-founded LegalZoom and RightCounsel.com, appearing in their television commercials.

Early life and education

Shapiro was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, to a Jewish family. He graduated from Hamilton High School in Los Angeles in 1961 and UCLA in 1965, with a B.S. in Finance. He obtained his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School in 1968.[1] At UCLA, he pledged the Jewish fraternity Zeta Beta Tau with his best friend, Roger Cossack.[2]

Personal life

Shapiro married Linell Thomas on March 8, 1970. They had two sons, Grant and Brent.

After his son Brent's death from a drug overdose in 2005, he founded the Brent Shapiro Foundation, a nonprofit organization with an aim to raise drug awareness, for which he serves as chairman of the board, as well as Pickford Lofts, a rehabilitation facility.[3]

Shapiro was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1969.[4] He has represented famous athletes, most notably O. J. Simpson, Darryl Strawberry, José Canseco, and Vince Coleman. He has represented other celebrities as well, such as Johnny Carson, Christian Brando, Linda Lovelace, the Kardashians, and F. Lee Bailey.[5] In 1998, he sued Strawberry over unpaid legal fees; the case was eventually settled out of court.[6]

Shapiro played a crucial role in the O. J. Simpson murder case. Already associated with Simpson, on June 17, 1994, he was present at Robert Kardashian's press conference pleading for Simpson to turn himself in to the police. According to Shapiro, Simpson's psychiatrists agreed that his letter to "friends", which Kardashian read over the air, was a suicide note. On television, Shapiro appealed to Simpson to surrender.[7] Later that day, after the famous low-speed "Bronco chase", Simpson surrendered to the police, with Shapiro's assistance.

When the actual trial began, Shapiro led the defense team (dubbed the "Dream Team"), but later ceded lead chair to Johnnie Cochran.[8][9][10] Despite their team's success in freeing Simpson after the verdict, Shapiro criticized his fellow Dream Team attorneys F. Lee Bailey (calling him a "loose cannon") and Cochran, for bringing race into the trial.[11] In his book The Search for Justice: A Defense Attorney's Brief on the O.J. Simpson Case (1998),[12] Shapiro states that he does not believe Simpson was framed by the LAPD for racial reasons but does believe the verdict was correct due to reasonable doubt.[13] Shortly after the Simpson trial, Shapiro steered his practice away from criminal defense toward civil litigation.

Shapiro was sued by record producer Phil Spector, for refusing to return a US$1 million retainer for legal services. Spector ultimately settled the lawsuit against Shapiro for an undisclosed amount.[14]

On April 30, 2007, Shapiro was the subject of an unpublished appellate opinion involving allegations that he had forwarded a request from his client to the client's CEO to remove twelve duffel bags, each containing $500,000 in cash, from the client's apartment, prior to a judge's order freezing the client's assets. In an April 30, 2007 unpublished opinion, the California Court of Appeal held that Shapiro's law firm, Christensen Miller Fink Jacobs Glaser Weil & Shapiro LLP, could be held liable for his alleged misconduct, even though Shapiro holds no equity interest in the firm and is not a true partner.[15] Ultimately, Shapiro settled the case for $450,000 (nearly twice the amount he said he was paid to represent the client in the first place), without admitting any wrongdoing.[16][17]

Shapiro has represented Steve Wynn and Wynn Resorts, actress Eva Longoria, Rob Kardashian (in the 2017 revenge porn case brought by Blac Chyna), Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Rockstar, and Diamond Resorts International. Shapiro represented the colorful Malibu psychiatrist and stem cell marketeer William C. Rader before the Medical Board of California, in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent permanent revocation of Rader's medical license.[18][19]

Shapiro frequently writes about the law and has published multiple books on the subject. In 2013, The National Law Journal named him on the list of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America.[20]

Children's book

Shapiro created Somo the Sober Monkey, a character in the children's book Somo Says No, which has an anti-drug theme.[21] It is made available to schools free of charge.[22]

Business ventures

Shapiro is the cofounder of LegalZoom,[23] ShoeDazzle,[24] and RightCounsel.com.[25]

Portrayals in films and television

Shapiro is known as a "celebrity" lawyer and as such is a celebrity himself. He has appeared as himself (or as a lawyer resembling his real-life self) in a number of films and television series, including the film Havoc (2005).

References

  1. ^ Green, Michelle (July 11, 1994). "Master of Disaster". People. Retrieved January 13, 2013. (subscription required)
  2. ^ Toobin, Jeffrey (September 29, 2015). The Run of His Life: The People V. O. J. Simpson. Random House. p. 6. ISBN 9780812988543.
  3. ^ Pelisek, Christine (October 13, 2005). "Brent Shapiro, 1980–2005". LA Weekly. Retrieved July 8, 2006.
  4. ^ "Robert Leslie Shapiro". The State Bar of California. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  5. ^ "Bailey Trial for Drunken Driving Filling Courtroom". New York Times. New York. April 18, 1982. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  6. ^ ""Strawberry Sued Over Legal Fees"". AP News Archive. The Associated Press. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  7. ^ Brett Morgen, Director (June 16, 2010). 30 for 30: June 17, 1994 (television). ESPN.
  8. ^ Mydans, Seth (June 16, 1994). "Lawyer for O. J. Simpson Quits Case". The New York Times. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
  9. ^ Newton, Jim (September 9, 1994). "Power Struggle in the Simpson Camp, Sources Say – Shapiro, Cochran Increasingly Compete For Limelight In Case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
  10. ^ "Simpson Expected To Shuffle Legal Team, Demote Lead Attorney". Daily News. New York. January 2, 1995. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
  11. ^ Shapiro & Warren 1996.
  12. ^ Shapiro, Robert (1998). The Search for Justice: A Defense Attorney’s Brief on the O.J. Simpson Case. Warner Books.
  13. ^ "Some who helped shape the O.J. Simpson case". USA Today. January 28, 1997. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
  14. ^ http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/03/04/murderer-phil-spector-settles-lawsuit-with-robert-shapiro/
  15. ^ "PCO Inc. v. Christensen Miller Fink Jacobs Glaser Weil Shapiro LLP". Findlaw. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  16. ^ Law.com - Christensen Glaser May Face Trial Over Bags of Cash
  17. ^ PCO, Inc. v. Shapiro, case no. BC262706, 2008 WL 2062773 (Judgment Enforcing Settlement Agreement (Los Angeles County Superior Court 6-Mar-2008) (""Plaintiffs PCO and PCO, Inc., through their receiver, Barry A Fisher, shall, and hereby do, have JUDGMENT against Defendant Robert L Shapiro (hereafter “Shapiro”) in the amount of $450,000 00, said amount having already been satisifed""), Text.
  18. ^ In the Matter of the Accusation Against: WILLIAM C. RADER, M.D., Physician's and Surgeon's Certificate No. A22848 Archived April 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Medical Board of California Department of Consumer Affairs, Case 20-2010-205857, ordered October 6, 2014; revocation effective November 5, 2014; access date February 15, 2015.
  19. ^ Zarembo, Alan (May 16, 2015). "Doctor with revoked license continues to sell unproven stem cell treatments". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  20. ^ "The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America". law.com. March 22, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  21. ^ "For Parents". TheSoberMonkey.com. The Brent Shapiro Foundation For Alcohol and Drug Awareness. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  22. ^ "Childrens Books". The Brent Shapiro Foundation. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  23. ^ https://www.legalzoom.com/about-us
  24. ^ "Kim Kardashian’s ShoeDazzle gets $40 million financing," Los Angeles Business Journal, May 18, 2011.
  25. ^ https://www.rightcounsel.com
  26. ^ The O.J. Simpson Story. 20th Century Fox TV. 1995.
  27. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250135
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