David I. Shapiro facts for kids
David Israel Shapiro (born June 17, 1928 – died October 1, 2009) was an American lawyer who worked to protect people's rights, especially their freedom of speech. He was well-known for helping people who were accused by a government group called the House Un-American Activities Committee. He also famously defended the American Nazi Party in a free speech case, showing that everyone deserves a fair defense. Shapiro was also a pioneer in a type of lawsuit called class action lawsuits, where many people with similar problems can sue together.
Early Life
David Shapiro was born in 1928 in Brooklyn, New York. He went to college at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Brooklyn College. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. In 1949, he became a lawyer in New York. By 1955, he was one of the youngest lawyers to be allowed to argue cases in front of the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court.
A Career in Law
Defending Rights
In 1956, Shapiro helped a man named Kendrick Cole in a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court. This case helped to weaken a government program that checked if people were loyal to the country.
In the 1960s, Shapiro stood up against Hollywood companies. These companies refused to hire people who had not cooperated with the House Un-American Activities Committee. Shapiro argued that this was unfair and limited people's ability to work.
In 1960, a group called the American Civil Liberties Union asked Shapiro to represent George Lincoln Rockwell, the leader of the American Nazi Party. Even though Shapiro disagreed strongly with Rockwell's views, he took the case. He believed that everyone, no matter their beliefs, deserved a fair legal defense. Shapiro successfully got Rockwell's case dismissed quickly. This showed Shapiro's strong commitment to protecting everyone's free speech rights, even for those he found offensive.
In 1963, Shapiro argued another important case, Silver v. New York Stock Exchange, before the Supreme Court. He represented a stock dealer who was unfairly cut off from important business connections. The Court agreed with Shapiro, saying the dealer had the right to challenge this unfair treatment.
In 1973, Shapiro defended Charles Colson, a former lawyer for President Richard Nixon. Even though Colson was a friend, he was found guilty and sentenced to prison.
Helping Many People
During the 1980s, Shapiro became a leader in developing new ways to handle class action lawsuits. These are cases where one lawsuit represents a large group of people who have been harmed in a similar way.
He was part of a team of lawyers who filed a huge class action lawsuit for Vietnam veterans. These veterans had been exposed to a chemical called Agent Orange during the war. This chemical was later found to cause serious health problems like cancer and birth defects. At the time, this was the largest class action lawsuit ever filed. The veterans and their families eventually received $180 million to help them.
Later Years
In the late 1980s and 1990s, Shapiro started to focus more on mediation. This is a way of solving disagreements outside of court, with a neutral person helping both sides. In 1989, he was chosen by courts to help settle talks between Eastern Airlines and its workers' unions.
In 1996, Shapiro moved to London, England. He became a respected mediator there and encouraged young lawyers to speak up for what they believed was right. When asked why he kept working into his 80s, he would often say, "Because I care." David Shapiro passed away on October 1, 2009, in London, from a cardiac arrest. He had been planning to return to his law firm in the U.S., Dickstein Shapiro.
