Conal Doyle

Experience & Background

Conal Doyle is an award winning trial lawyer who has received national recognition for his courtroom victories that have had broad reaching impact on society. He is one of the few attorneys in history to argue before the United States Supreme Court and obtain multiple seven and eight figure jury verdicts.

His international human rights victory in Castaneda v. United States was a catalyst for the reform of the United States immigration healthcare system, and garnered widespread acclaim from his peers, legal publications and the international media.

For example, he received the 2012 California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award in Human Rights, and the 2011 Trial Lawyer of the Year Award from the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA). He has been listed in both Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers for the past ten consecutive years, and his courtroom victories have been chronicled in newspapers around the world, including a piece on the CBS news magazine “60 Minutes.”

Conal’s reputation as one of the finest trial attorneys in America was further cemented with two stunning back-to-back verdicts in Kern County, California, one of California’s most “conservative” jurisdictions.

  • In December 2013, Conal obtained as lead trial counsel a $26.8 million medical malpractice jury verdict in McKnight v. Spain. This result was the largest medical malpractice verdict in County history and was recognized by The Daily Journal as a Top 10 Verdict in California for 2013. The National Law Journal recognized the verdict as a Top 100 Verdict nationally and the Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC) named him a Finalist for the 2014 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award. The highest pre-trial offer by the defense was $300,000.
  • In March 2014, Conal obtained as lead trial counsel a $3.8 million jury verdict in Doe v. Jack In The Box. In this premises liability case, the highest pre-trial offer was $200,000.

The foundation of this success is a passion for justice and a commitment to client service. Conal was born without his right leg, and like many of his clients, has overcome great obstacles and endured daily struggles. These experiences provide him a unique insight into his clients’ challenges and help him guide his clients through difficult times.

Conal’s personal experience has led him to focus on the representation of amputees in both first party bad faith and personal injury claims.  The Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) honored Conal as the 2020 Street Fighter of the Year for his work on behalf of amputees in Trujillo v. United Healthcare, a national ERISA health insurance class action.  The case required the nation’s largest health insurer to change its claims practices and reprocess claims related to the denial of prosthetic devices to amputees.  Conal is also prosecuting two other class actions for wrongful denial of prosthetics-against Anthem and Blue Shield of California, among numerous individual bad faith claims for wrongful denial of prosthetics.

Conal is well known as an advocate for amputees in injury and bad faith insurance claims. His article, “Glimpsing the Future for an Amputee,” is used as a guide for litigating limb loss cases by attorneys across the country.

Conal has never backed down from a challenge or started a fight that he couldn’t finish. When he isn’t challenging corporate giants in the courtroom, Conal enjoys skiing the Rockies, a remnant from his past as an alpine ski racer.

Honors & Awards

  • 2020 Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC) Street Fighter of the Year Award
  • 2014 Finalist-Consumer Attorney of the Year-Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC)
  • The National Law Journal Top 100 Verdicts, 2013
  • The Daily Journal Top 10 Verdicts, 2013
  • 2012 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award
  • 2011 Trial Lawyer of the Year-Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA)
  • 2011 Attorney of the Year-The Recorder
  • The Best Lawyers In America, 2012 – Present
  • Finalist-2011 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year
  • 2011 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America
  • The National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100, 2008 – Present
  • The Daily Journal – Top 20 Under 40 in California, 2010
  • Super Lawyers-Southern California Superlawyer, 2012 – Present
  • The Daily Journal – Top 10 Verdicts, 2010
  • Martindale Hubbell – AV Rating, 2007 – Present
  • San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association – 2011 Civil Justice Award
  • The National Law Journal-Appellate Lawyer of the Week, 2010
  • 2011 Public Justice Achievement Award-Public Justice Foundation

Public Service

Conal devotes a significant portion of his practice to public interest work and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Foundation, a non-profit public interest law firm. Mr. Doyle frequently acts as “lead cooperating counsel” on cases with Public Justice, where he donates a portion of his fees as a pro bono contribution to the organization.

Prior Work History

Conal comes from a “big firm” background, where he served as a trial attorney for six years at one of Florida’s largest and most respected law firms. Conal won his first federal jury trial in a civil rights excessive force case at age twenty-seven. By age thirty-one, he was lead trial counsel of an eleven hundred member law enforcement agency, where he litigated civil rights, torts, class actions, and employment cases.

Conal participated in a dozen jury trials as a defense attorney, winning eleven of them. His jury trial experience includes cases involving medical malpractice, breach of contract, insurance coverage, premises liability, negligent security, 42 U.S.C. 1983 civil rights violations, excessive force, false arrest, automobile negligence, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, and employment law.

Personal

Mr. Doyle is a right leg amputee. He is an avid alpine skier and has competed in Giant Slalom and Slalom alpine races against the best disabled athletes in the world, including the U.S. Ski Team, Canadian Ski Team, and Australian Ski Team. He is a former member of the Board of Directors (1998-2002) of Self-Reliance, Inc. and is active in community efforts to improve the lifestyles of Americans with disabilities. He regularly draws on his unique life experiences in representing clients who have sustained significant injuries or have suffered discrimination due to their disabilities.

Public Speaking

Mr. Doyle is a frequent lecturer and author on the topics of civil trial practice, civil rights, and personal injury litigation at law schools, Continuing Legal Education seminars, and the FBI NAA National Convention, where he has been recognized as an expert in civil rights litigation. He has also been quoted and featured frequently in national newspapers, radio, and television regarding constitutional law issues and civil rights.

Bar Admissions

  • California, 2003
  • Florida, 1997
  • New York, 2006
  • District of Columbia, 2006
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California

Education

Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida

  • Juris Doctor cum laude – May, 1997
  • Book Awards: Trial Practice, Litigation Seminar
  • Florida House of Representatives-Legislative Internship/Scholarship
  • Florida Bar Scholarship-Top 10 Law Students in State 1996

Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, Florida

  • First Year of Law School – 1994
  • Class Rank: 1/159
  • West’s Outstanding Scholar Award-#1 ranked first year law student
  • Book Award-Torts
  • Book Award-Civil Procedure
  • Book Award-Criminal Law

Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida

  • B.A. – 1993

Matthew D. Shapiro

Experience & Background

Matt Shapiro is a dedicated personal injury attorney committed to championing the rights of his clients.

“Our firm adheres to the highest standards in legal practice and client advocacy. I collaborate with a skilled trial team to ensure your best interests are at the forefront. As civil litigators, whether dealing with catastrophic injuries or wrongful death cases, we bring the experience, determination, resources, and creativity needed to navigate complex and challenging legal battles. I take pride in the work we do and feel honored to represent my clients.”

—Matthew D. Shapiro

Professional Background

Matthew launched his legal career at William D. Shapiro Law, Inc., in San Bernardino, California, under the mentorship of his father. There, he became part of a distinguished trial team specializing in catastrophic personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Matt acquired essential skills in ethics, creativity, and compassion necessary for addressing intricate legal matters, always striving for justice for clients enduring profound tragedies.

Recognition and Leadership

Matthew has been an active member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) since 2020 and has served as a Board Member for the of Consumer Attorneys of the Inland Empire (CAOIE) since 2024. CAOC advocates for the constitutional right to a jury trial, protecting consumers against the encroachment of powerful interests that seek to limit access to justice. Having secured millions for his clients, Matthew understands how such constraints can devastatingly impact the lives of individuals seeking redress during their most vulnerable moments. As a board member, he is passionate about educating both the public and fellow attorneys about their rights and the legal landscape.

Public Service Commitment

Since 2020, Matthew has volunteered with the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino (LASSB), an organization dedicated to dismantling barriers to justice for those unable to afford legal representation. He takes great pride in supporting their mission to provide free legal services to the residents of San Bernardino County.

Educational Background

Matthew earned his Bachelor’s degree in Human Communication Studies from California State University, Fullerton, in 2016, where he also excelled on the intercollegiate debate team, clinching first place at the 2014 National Education and Debate Association Tournament. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor from Western State College of Law in 2019. During law school, he externed with the Legal Aid Society of Orange County, engaging with low-income residents to offer critical legal assistance.

While at Western State, Matthew represented the school on its Honors Moot Court Team, competing in national competitions and contributing to the law review with a published article and media alerts summarizing decisions from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Personal Life

Matthew’s passion for advocacy stems from a personal tragedy; losing his mother in 2001 ignited his commitment to help others navigate life-altering events. A former athlete, he enjoys basketball and has a love for music, having played bass and sung with the band True to the Universe for nearly a decade. He also has a strong interest in education, having taught at Santiago Canyon College and co-founding Proto Communications, LLC, which develops multimedia curriculum for colleges nationwide.

Bar Admissions

  • California, 2020
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, 2020
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2020