William Shapiro Recognized as Trial Advocate, Educates Other Attorneys

Adjunct professor William Shapiro, who currently teaches Civil Trial Practice, was nominated “2014 Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the California Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates (Cal-ABOTA) and named “2014 Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Consumer Attorneys of the Inland Empire. Professor Shapiro will be a featured presenter on “Voir Dire” at Cal-ABOTA’s upcoming Masters in Trial professional education seminar in September, has given multiple “Civility Now” presentations this year in Southern California, and recently was invited to give a “Closing Argument” before members of the Arkansas Bar Association at their June 2014 Annual Meeting.

Jonathan Pink Wins Legal Fees Ruling for Black Eyed Peas

Adjunct intellectual property Professor Jonathan Pink served as lead counsel for The Black Eyed Peas in successfully defending against a copyright claim earlier this year. On July 28, California federal judge Josephine Stanton ordered the plaintiff to pay Professor Pink’s client, the band, along with its artistic collaborators, a combined $2.5 million in legal fees and costs, finding that The Black Eyed Peas did not steal the “guitar twang” melody in “I Gotta Feeling” from a 1990s dance track, and awarding defendants the expenses of fighting the claim and appeal to the Ninth Circuit.