Robert Shapiro
Robert Leslie Shapiro (born
September 2,
1942 in
Plainfield, New Jersey), is a high-profile attorney who is most notable for being part of the defense team which successfully defended
O. J. Simpson from the charges that he murdered his ex-wife
Nicole and
Ronald Goldman in 1994 (the trial was in 1995). He also worked for famous athletes
Darryl Strawberry,
Jose Canseco and
Vince Coleman as well as other celebrities like
Johnny Carson and
Linda Lovelace. In 1998, he sued Strawberry over unpaid legal fees which were eventually settled. Shapiro has also been sued by record producer
Phil Spector, for refusing to return a $1 million retainer for legal services.
Shapiro graduated from
UCLA in 1965 and obtained his
law degree from
Loyola Law School. He has been married since 1970 and has a son, Grant. Another son, Brent, was found dead by an apparent overdose of
MDMA on October 11, 2005.
