Nicole Zappala Shapiro Email & Phone Number

San Francisco, California

Nikki advises domestic and international insurers in connection with claims reported under errors and omissions policies issued to attorneys, law firms, accounting firms, healthcare organizations and facilities, and other professionals. She represents insurer clients in all aspects of insurance coverage including the assessment of coverage and negotiation of insurance coverage disputes. Her role includes analyzing complex legal issues, litigation risk, and potential exposure to professionals and insurers and she works closely with general counsel and human resources executives in the handling and resolution of ongoing litigation. Nikki’s role includes overseeing retained outside defense counsel and developing strategy for the cost-effective resolution of matters and negotiating the resolution of matters in all stages of litigation. Nikki also provides advice to insurers and executives on risk management issues, best practices, and ethics issues.

San Francisco Bay Area

Nicole ("Nikki") Shapiro practices in the area of professional liability and insurance litigation. She acts as monitoring counsel for insurers and is responsible for actively managing and directing strategy for litigation against attorneys and law firms. Her day-to-day responsibilities include:• Working closely with the general counsel of insured law firms in handling and resolution of ongoing litigation (including active participation at mediations);• Analyzing litigation risk and potential exposure and making indemnity and/or defense reserve recommendations for insurer clients;• Understanding and analyzing defendant law firm's underlying representation of plaintiffs in wide-range of legal practice areas including patent and intellectual property law, business and commercial litigation, estates and trusts, corporate transactions, unfair business practices, and bankruptcy.• Overseeing retained outside defense counsel including (i) developing strategy for the resolution of matters ranging from low dollar “nuisance” cases to “high stakes” litigation where adverse judgments could render insureds insolvent, (ii) reviewing and providing input on proposed pleadings and motions and (iii) analyzing outside counsel invoices and litigation budget; • Negotiating the resolution of matters in all stages of litigation (including pre-litigation);• Representing clients in all aspects of insurance coverage including the assessment of coverage and negotiation of insurance coverage disputes; • Providing advice to insurers and law firms on risk management issues and best practices; • Recruiting junior associates and developing summer associate program (selected to be a member of Recruitment Committee and oversaw summer associate program during Summer 2016);• Mentoring junior associates within practice group; and• Developing new business initiatives within practice group.

Legal search consultant specialized in legal searches across all industries, including General Counsel, senior intellectual property and other senior in-house lawyer positions. Clients included large publicly held companies as well as early-stage, venture capital/private equity-backed clients.

As a recruiter at Mlegal, worked with law firms and companies to find them a match for their associate and in-house counsel needs.

Engaged in commercial litigation practice with emphasis in real estate development and construction disputes and general business and commercial litigation. Matters included disputes involving public and private sector projects such as commercial buildings, detention facilities, universities and schools. • Prepared for and participated in witness depositions, including depositions in multi-million dollar construction litigation. • Represented clients in eminent domain proceedings. • Counseled various clients on architecture and engineering licensing issues and the enforceability of mechanic’s liens, issues involving unfair competition and other business torts, and represented clients in subrogation matters. • Represented clients at mediations, prepared pre- and post-trial motions, including motions to compel arbitration, motions for summary judgment, motions for reconsideration and appellate briefs. • Actively involved in recruitment of prospective lateral attorneys.

Represented clients in broad commercial litigation practice involving business torts, contract disputes and post-judgment litigation. • Participated in appellate and judgment enforcement proceedings. • Participated in all aspects of trial preparation. • Prepared for and participated in post-judgment and pre-trial depositions of witnesses. Conducted factual investigations, prepared pleadings and conducted discovery. Drafted pre- and post-trial motions, including motions for summary judgment, motion to amend the judgment to include additional judgment debtor, motion for assignment order, motions to strike, demurrers and discovery motions. Argued in favor of, and defended against, various pre-trial discovery motions.• Served as member of the Recruitment Committee and Associate-Partner Liaison Committee.

Jd

Activities and Societies: Symposium Editor, University of San Francisco Law Review

Ba, Cum Laude, Communications

Activities and Societies: Gold Key National Honor Society

Education record