Nina Shapirshteyn is a partner at Abramson Smith Waldsmith and a former Superior Court judge. She represents individuals and families in injury and wrongful death cases throughout California.
As a litigator, Nina has secured numerous multimillion-dollar settlements and jury verdicts for her clients. Nina has been recognized for her courtroom results. She was selected as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association for her work as lead counsel in Kuhlmann v. Ethicon-Endo Surgery, LLC, Johnson & Johnson Health Care Services, et al., in which a jury awarded $79.8 million, the largest verdict in California in 2015 and the 18th largest verdict in the nation.
The Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers’ Association again honored Nina as Trial Lawyer of the Year after she secured three separate multimillion-dollar jury verdicts for plaintiffs in a single year—an unprecedented achievement in the county’s history.
Nina is a member of the invitation-only national organization American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), limited to experienced trial lawyers who exhibit the virtues of civility, integrity, and professionalism. She is also a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL), whose mission is to protect and promote the rule of law. IATL is a group of elite trial lawyers in the nation. Fellowship is by invitation only, and trial lawyers are invited to become Fellows only after an extremely careful vetting process. Nina is a recognized Super Lawyer and holds the AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards by her peers in the legal community.
Before returning to private practice, Nina was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to serve as a judge of the Superior Court, where she presided over a wide range of civil matters, including complex litigation and high-stakes injury cases. Nina brings thoughtful judgment, strategic approach to case preparation and courtroom advocacy, and a clear understanding of what matters most in the courtroom.
Nina is admitted to practice law in California and New York. She was born in Ukraine and speaks Russian fluently.
Nina’s results include:
• $36 million settlement involving a defective product.
• $30 million judgment for sexual abuse.
• $20 million settlement involving a burn injury by a defective product.
• $17 million settlement involving spinal injuries following a car collision.
• $10 million settlement for a brain injury in a car collision case.
• $10 million settlement in a wrongful death case.
• $5 million settlement in a wrongful death case.
• $4.6 million settlement for insurance bad faith following a trial.
• $2.35 million settlement involving hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
• $2.2 million verdict/judgment for a shoulder injury.
• $1.9 million settlement involving a spinal disc injury.
• $1.25 million settlement involving pelvic fractures in a car collision.
• $1.2 million for a woman who fractured her ribs and clavicle falling several feet due to a dangerous condition.
• $1.1 million judgment following a verdict for a back compression fracture.
• $1 million settlement involving a neck injury.
• $790,000 settlement involving a facial scar caused by a punch in the face.
• $750,000 settlement involving a hot drink spill and resulting burn.
Pro-Bono Activities
CEO and Founder of Fight With Ukraine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Ukraine, 2022
CASA, 2008
1
Practice Area
40%-40%
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Chat withState: New York
Acquired: 2009
No misconduct found
State: California
Acquired: 2007
No misconduct found
19 Tehama Street, Suite A, San Francisco, CA, 94105
Showing 1 - 5 of 22 client reviews from Avvo
Posted by Emel | February 2, 2026 | Hired Attorney
Ms. Shapirshteyn went above and beyond in handling my case. The way she navigated it end-to-end at every juncture of the process made me feel so confident and at ease during what was otherwise a highly stressful situation for me and 60 other people. She was incredibly responsive, detail-oriented, ...
Posted by Shelley Coleman | January 23, 2026 | Hired Attorney
Nina Shapirshteyn is a resolute trial advocate. She has demonstrated time and again that her instincts are solid, and her delivery is spot on. One factor that accounts for her success is her impressive attention to detail while maintaining the ability to see the big picture. In one product case, we ...
Posted by E | January 16, 2026 | Hired Attorney
Nina Shapirshteyn is an exceptional attorney. She took on my sister’s case when no one else was willing to help and even handled it pro bono because she believed in my sister, knew she needed support, and recognized that she had nowhere else to turn. Despite other attorneys dismissing the case or sa...
Posted by anonymous | January 15, 2026 | Consulted Attorney
If you’re looking for an attorney with a brilliant legal mind, captivating personality, and a genuine heart for her clients, look no further than Nina. She is a fierce advocate for justice who navigates even the most complex cases with ease and confidence. I’ve had the privilege of watching her in ...
Posted by Darci | January 15, 2026 | Hired Attorney
I cannot recommend Nina Shapirshteyn highly enough. After my car accident, I suffered a traumatic brain injury that affected nearly every part of my life for six months. I struggled to walk up and down stairs, go to work, look at screens, exercise, and manage daily tasks. I dealt with constant migrai...
"I have known Nina for more than a decade, and I know her to be diligent, incredibly smart, hardworking, and creative in coming up with the best legal strategies for her client. Nina is a credit to the profession of law and gets her clients fantastic results. For that reason, not only do I endorse Nina, but surely I will refer business to her in the future."
"I have had the pleasure of working on a case with Nina and she is the definition of a true advocate. Nina is relentless, sharp, and aggressive in a courtroom. She leaves no stone unturned and refuses to take no for an answer. I often consult Nina on matters, especially when I feel I have exhausted all possibilities, and her guidance proves extremely helpful over and over again. Aside from her smarts, she is fun to work with. She is passionate and loves what she does. If you are looking for a zealous advocate to represent you, I would highly recommend Nina."
"Nina Shapirshteyn is a fierce and passionate protector and advocate for her clients. She knows the law, but more importantly she knows people and she cares about them. That is why Nina has devoted her career to fighting injustice. Clients can rest assured that Nina will leave no stone unturned in seeking justice for them. She is incredibly smart and thorough. She has the uncanny ability to take complicated legal issues and simplify them."
Litigation lawyer
Criminal defense lawyer
2026
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2019
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers
2017
Certificate of Appreciation, Plaintiff Magazine
2017
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2016
Trial Lawyer of the Year, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
2016
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2015
Top Verdicts of 2015, Daily Journal
2015
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2014
Certificate of Appreciation, Plaintiff Magazine
2014
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2013
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2026 - Present
Partner, Abramson Smith Waldsmith, LLP
2023 - 2025
Judge, Superior Court Of California, County Of San Mateo
2022 - 2023
Founder and President, Fight With Ukraine, Nonprofit
2013 - 2023
Partner, Alexander Law Group
2007 - 2012
Attorney, O'Reilly Collins
2023 - Present
International Academy of Trial Lawyers
$20 million settlement
$79.8 million jury verdict
$30 million judgement
$4.6 million
2007
JD - Juris Doctor
2003
BS - Bachelor of Science
2016
Punitive Damages
2015
Statement of Compliance: Hold them to it
2014
Discovery in Dangerous Condition Cases Against Public Entities - Handling 23 USC Section 409
2011
Statutory Offer to Compromise
2017
2016
2014
Russian
English
Ukrainian
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