Contact

William D. Shapiro Law, Inc.

Orange County Office:

1020 Ross Street

Santa Ana, CA 92701

Inland Empire Office: 

 893 East Brier Drive 

San Bernardino, CA 92408

714-602-6990

949-922-8690

www.wshapiro.com 

A family-led firm staying true to its roots, delivering elite advocacy, life-changing results, and unwavering commitment to clients for more than four decades

I’m one of those guys who believes when you're holding yourself out as an expert in a field, you should be an expert in that specific field. In our area of law, which involves serious catastrophic personal injuries, wrongful death, and related cases, we choose not to expand beyond those areas,” William D. Shapiro, Founder of William D. Shapiro Law, Inc. says. Practicing since 1979, he founded the firm in 1983 with specific practice areas including claims arising from spinal/back injuries, head/brain injuries, amputations, car/truck/motorcycle collisions, Uber and Lyft accidents, pedestrian accidents, defective products, roadways and premises, as well as medical malpractice. Shapiro leads the team with sons, attorneys Brian D. Shapiro and Mathew D. Shapiro.

The adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same, in many ways applies to William D. Shapiro Law, Inc. Throughout the decades the firm has remained steadfastly committed to serving those whose lives have changed due to devastating injuries or to the death of a loved one. “We’re a boutique firm handling a limited number of cases. The most important thing to me is that we maintain our focus on quality lawyering at every level from being introduced to clients through trial. Most of our cases are referred by past clients, other attorneys, judges, court staff and others. We take great pride in the quality of our workmanship, the relationships we have with our clients and the results we achieve,” Shapiro says.

“Our office and law firm have worked with Bill Shapiro and his exceptional staff for several years. Bill has done an outstanding job navigating complex and catastrophic injury cases, achieving remarkable results. His staff is attentive, diligent, and maintains excellent communication.

Most recently, Bill Shapiro and his team, including Brian Shapiro, excelled in a case where our office served as Guardian Ad Litem. They passionately advocated for a young girl whose life was profoundly altered by a horrific, catastrophic injury. The hours and dedication the firm invested in this matter were truly impressive to witness firsthand. We are deeply grateful for the outstanding work and results achieved by this firm.” – Matthew D. Scott

Family Wins

As a father-and-sons team, they have recently won seven- and eight-figure injury and wrongful death cases, which has been the case for many years. Recent cases include a mid-eight-figures win for an infant girl who suffered catastrophic brain injury due to social services failures. Other successes include another mid-eight-figure wrongful death result against multiple commercial motor carriers and their maintenance contractors whose collective negligent conduct caused the death of a young wife and mother. The firm has overcome sports waivers, prevailing in a spinal injury claim against a recreational company. They have taken on cities, counties and the State in catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims for dangerous roadways and other conditions, and a public entity whose staff refused to respond to a medical emergency due to alleged “Covid policies.” They have prosecuted many multimillion-dollar medical malpractice actions stemming from birth injuries, brain injuries, amputations and deaths against negligent doctors, hospitals and health care providers and have recovered on behalf of numerous victims of the Route 91 music festival shooting. 

Their current caseload exemplifies the breadth of their services within the firm’s niche: a young man who lost his entire immediate family (mother, father, brother) in a tragic traffic collision against the adverse driver, his employer and the public entity that owned and maintained the roadway; a husband and wife each suffering catastrophic injuries in another traffic collision against the State due to an alleged dangerous roadway condition. The firm is handling multiple trucking cases including a wrongful death traffic collision case involving a truck with mechanical issues stopped on the freeway, the driver slowing for hundreds of feet, claiming he couldn’t pull over; another a brain injury case in a truck/pedestrian incident; a young man who lost his father on a motorcycle when struck by a FedEx delivery driver who wasn’t paying attention; a husband who lost his wife after she died as a result of unsuspecting tuberculosis when a surgeon used bone material during a surgery that was contaminated with tuberculosis; a baby whose mother died due to alleged improper ET tube placement resulting in lack of oxygen; a husband and injured daughter who lost their wife/mother in motor vehicle accident allegedly caused by a negligent driver and inadequate traffic signal placement; and a two-year-old girl who suffered lacerations all over her face after being attacked by a dog. They also completed two hotly disputed mid-seven-figure medical malpractice cases just before trial. One concerned a 36-year-old woman who while in a rehab hospital, suffered quadriplegic injuries from a fall allegedly due to alleged lack of supervision. The other case where the endotracheal tube in a one-year-old boy allegedly dislodged during transport in the hospital resulting in lack of oxygen and brain injuries.

Brian Shapiro says, “When you experience heart issues, you go to a heart specialist. When you have a brain-related problem, you see a neurologist. That wisdom should apply to seeking a lawyer when people are injured or suffer losses in our practice areas. We are current on the applicable laws, procedures and ability to present these cases. We meet the challenges and the opportunities and incorporate the most effective means of presenting catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.”

Matthew Shapiro says, “Working statewide and sometimes beyond, much of our work comes from other attorneys and others who have seen our results. We have built and will continue to build strong relationships with many lawyers, past clients and people in the communities we serve. We’re honored by the number of referrals and the testimonials we receive, which says a lot and we’re honored and proud of the recognition we receive of the quality of our work, results and our expertise in our practice areas.”

Collaborative Management and Family Ties

Shapiro describes the firm as being “freakish on being fundamental” while taking creative approaches to solving the challenges in their practice areas. Although he may think out of the box and sometimes take non-traditional approaches, his management philosophy is conservative. That conservative approach is exemplified in the collaborative approach he takes with Brian and Matt, who are actively sharing management roles at the firm. Although he works diligently to transfer his more than 47 years of experience, he does not micromanage the shared responsibilities. Shapiro says in the office, his sons get no credit for being his blood, only for being outstanding attorneys. 

Brian Shapiro says, “Each of us shares a firm belief there’s no replacement for hard work, dedication and passion and that’s how we practice law. We understand our clients trust us to be their voice, their advocate regarding something tragic that has happened in their life. We must be the best we can be and through everything I’ve experienced at this office, that’s the way it’s always been, that’s the way Matt and I were raised. We don’t always all agree, but we always end up with what is in the best interest of our client.” 

Collaboration is a key element of the firm’s ongoing success. For example, Bill Shapiro will be the president of National of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2026, which will require him to be out of the office a significant amount of time. While out of the office, he’ll be in constant contact through phone, email and Zoom contacts. Much of the day-to-day management will rest with Brian and Matthew Shapiro. Shapiro also notes there will be a day when he will retire, but not yet. “I’m seeing to it that the firm is and will remain in the capable hands of outstanding attorneys. Brian and Matt are the next generation of the firm.”

Brian D. Shapiro and Matthew D. Shapiro

© Christopher TODD Studios



Staying Ahead of the Technology Curve

Shapiro says, “We have increased the effectiveness of our traditional methods using the latest modern systems and equipment. We use cutting-edge technology, AI tools and remote communications to stay ahead of the curve and keep pace with the ever-changing legal field.”

For example, William D. Shapiro Law, Inc. was among the first firms in California compelled to conduct a hybrid trial during Covid—beginning in person and continuing remotely for several months. Shapiro and his team have learned from that experience and woven that knowledge into their long-term approach from opening a file to trial. They are prepared for how cases will be handled and tried in the future.

Shapiro emphasizes that he and the team use and manage the latest technology but take the necessary steps to make sure they are not misguided or misled by technology. The use of AI by legal firms is a good example. AI is a valuable tool provided those who use it are careful of the results obtained and who remain in full control of the data and its uses. For example, many firms cite instances in which AI used as a research tool actually falsely created case references that fit the needs of the attorney or firm using the process. “I’ve given some programs or participated in programs relating to AI and when these things hallucinate, it's false. You can never rely on AI for final legal research.”

The firm uses the technology, but always backs up anything related to research by personally reviewing the case, the research, and the supporting documentation. They are careful to never rely on AI for firsthand research. They do their own writing for final drafts and presentations. 

Shapiro finds that AI is an exceptionally good tool in summarizing depositions and other things, but still the information obtained needs to be verified before use. Brian says, “AI can be amazing however you always have to double check it. The lawyers who use it without double checking are practicing at risk. If they want to use the initial results as a final draft, they're going to get themselves in a pickle. In fact, some courts are now saying they want you to sign a declaration that you did not use AI in the drafting of this document. We don’t and never will make that mistake.”

Overuse of technology is another danger. Shapiro warns students in his Trial Practice classes about the dangers involved in over-dependence on AI and other technologies, such as smartphone communications and a reliance on texting. Attorneys must have the ability to write and communicate, converse with juries, clients, other attorneys, service suppliers, and judges. They must be able to articulate quickly and, on the spot, using the right words and inflections to create powerful images in a person’s mind. “Many of the people coming out of schools today, not just law schools, but all schools are not communicating. They’re too abbreviated. Many are in such a hurry to communicate that they’ve actually lost the ability.”

Shapiro tells his law students and young lawyers that fifty percent of trial work has little or nothing to do with law. Juries make decisions on such non-legal matters such as the attorney’s manner, the presentation, pacing, body language, positioning and being civil and courteous. 

“These are all things having nothing at all to do with law. For me to get a damage award, I have to paint a vivid word picture that tells my client’s story not only factually, but emotionally so that the jury understands the challenges my client faces. We trial lawyers must concentrate on the skill of storytelling, with descriptions using sixth grade English, so things are easy to understand.”