PRO BONO EFFORTS:
 
INTRODUCTION:
It has long been recognized that the duty of a lawyer goes well beyond his duties to his or her present clientele. The ethical standards and cannons of State, Federal, and local Bar Associations, have always encouraged qualified attorneys to allocate a percentage of their time making available their legal talents to those who are financially challenged, to the judiciary, and to the betterment of the legal field. This concept is embedded in the thinking of those who enter the field of law from the moment they become a law student, continuing through out their legal career. Below are a few of the activities William D. Shapiro is active in. With rare exception, the time and effort on these activities are fully donated, there was and is no remuneration. Any costs or expenses incurred in performing these activities were also donated as well.
LEGAL AID INVOLVEMENT:
At the Law Offices of William D. Shapiro, great pride is taken in providing services to people who otherwise would be unable to consult with an attorney. By being active in the San Bernardino County Bar's Legal Aid Program, Mr. Shapiro donates not only needed funds to the program, on a regular basis is present at the Counties Legal Aid Office and spend hours upon hours consulting and counseling those in need. In addition to the time spent with Legal Aid clients, Mr. Shapiro serves as an Executive Board member of the Legal Aid Society, a Committee within the San Bernardino County Bar Association. In October of 1999, William Shapiro received the coveted, "Honorable Matt Kearney Award," for his, "outstanding contribution to the community through 20 years of dedicated service to Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino." In addition, he received the, "Certificate of Recognition," from State Senator Joe Baca for the 20 years of providing, "legal services to the indigent community and donated both time and money to the cause."
JUDICIAL INVOLVEMENT:
Aside from providing free legal services directly to those in the community, the legal system itself calls upon lawyers to provide their services and abilities, to contribute to the administration of the legal system. Year after year, William Shapiro is proud to have served as Judge Pro Tem, presiding over trials, settlement conferences and hearings for both the Municipal and Superior Courts. As one of the original Justice Pro Tem Mediators with the Fourth District Court of Appeal, he was instrumental in the current success of the appellate courts mediation program having been a recipient of the, “Ralph N. Kleps Award,” "for improvement in the administration of the Courts," awarded by Division Two of the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Following the State of California implementing the Arbitration System over a decade ago, Mr. Shapiro has presided over hundreds of Judicial Arbitrations, and has served and continues to serve on the A.D.R. Committee (Alternative Dispute Resolution) of the San Bernardino County Bar which provides the recommendations to the Courts as to administration of the Arbitration Program.
INSTRUCTION / LECTURE:

In addition to serving the needy and Judiciary, William Shapiro donates his time to provide legal instruction and lectures within the legal community, as well as participating in the many programs and local efforts to provide awareness of legal issues to the community.

Having held a California Teaching Credential, as well spending years as an Associate Professor of Products Liability, Torts, and Legal Ethics, at the Western State University College of Law located in Orange County, Mr. Shapiro was asked, and agreed to be one of three panelist for the Riverside County Bar Associations, "Annual Trial Conference." Dedicated to the improvement of an attorneys trial skills, Mr. Shapiro, along with his co-panelist, donated four (4) consecutive days with the attendees of the conference. For the seven (7) consecutive years he served, he attended the planning meetings, as well as offering scholarships to those who wanted to attend however due to financial hardship were unable to do so. Consistent with his belief in Continuing Education, Mr. Shapiro was asked, and was a guest lecturer/speaker in the field of Trial Evidence at the Citrus Belt, School of Law, as well as conferences and seminars of the following: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the California Trial Lawyers Association, the Riverside, and San Bernardino County Bar Associations, the Western San Bernardino County Bar Association, the San Bernardino County Legal Secretaries Association, the American Arbitration Association, the Riverside (Leo A. Deegan) , as well as the San Bernardino (Joseph B. Campbell) Chapters of the Inn's of Court, the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service, Bancroft Whitney Continuing Legal Education, the State Farm Insurance Company, Aetna Insurance Company, Farmers Insurance Company, the Southern California Insurance Adjusters Association, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the San Bernardino County Medical Center, and the Center for Judicial Education and Research.

In addition to the donated efforts identified above, Mr. Shapiro, has devoted time directly to the community in speaking to the students at many of the local elementary, middle and high schools as well as to the members of numerous service organizations including, the Optimist Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs. They have been involved with, and has made many public service television appearances on, "Legal Issues," a program devoted to educating the community of interesting topics in the field of law, as well as appearing as a special guest on public television's KCVR, "On Call," to educate on issues of law.
COMMITTEES:
Going farther then simply becoming a dues paying member of the many associations William Shapiro has joined, he is directly involved in subcommittees within the organization. Within the American Bar Association, Mr. Shapiro is a committee member of the, "Torts and Insurance Section," (T.I.P.S.) as well as the, "Products, General Liability and Consumer Law Section." Within the State Bar of California, Mr. Shapiro is a member of the, "Insurance Litigation Committee," and he served as President of the California Trial Lawyers Association, Inland Empire Chapter in 1986-1988. Withing the, "Association of Trial Lawyers of America," Mr. Shapiro was a member of the, "ATV Litigation Group."
CHARITIES:
The Law Offices of William D. Shapiro make direct financial contributions to the following charities: San Bernardino Police, children's groups, underprivileged kids programs, Pop Warner Football, A.Y.S.O. youth soccer, youth little league, sponsorship of youth baseball, basketball, football and soccer teams. In addition to these donations, Mr. Shapiro is proud to report they he has been head and assistant coaches for many youth sports teams, and remains active in youth sports and activities in their community.