A Conversation With Robert Shapiro
Valentina sat down with old friend and super-lawyer Robert Shapiro for one of the most personal Joy of Giving episodes ever recorded. Most people know him from the OJ Simpson defense "dream team" and as one of the creators of Legal Zoom. Fewer know about the work he's done quietly for two decades — keeping kids off drugs and getting them into college.
The Tragedy That Started It
Robert founded the Brent Shapiro Foundation in honor of his son, who lost his life to addiction. The conversation doesn't shy away from the loss. It also doesn't stop there — it walks through what Robert built from that grief and how the foundation has now changed hundreds of lives.
What the Foundation Does
- Scholarships for kids committed to staying drug-free through college - Prevention programs that meet students where they are - Community education to break the silence around addiction - Family support for parents and siblings carrying the same grief
Why This Conversation Matters
This isn't a polished nonprofit overview. It's a father's story — and a lawyer's pivot from public-facing high-stakes work to a long, quiet mission of prevention and recovery. The Brent Shapiro Foundation exists because Robert refused to let his family's tragedy be the last word.
Watch the full conversation for the unfiltered story behind the foundation, the work it's doing today, and how to support it.
