Representing Lindsay Lohan and other Celebrities Defense Attorney Shawn Holley
Episode 16 : Media Mayhem
Episode Synopsis
You see celebrities getting dragged in to court on the news all the time. Today we are fortunate to have one of the few people who usually ends up standing next to them, famed defense attorney Shawn Holley, to give us a clearer perspective. Shawn and Allison discuss a host of issues including, case strategy, race and sexism, the part the media plays in a trial and many other subjects. Shawn also gives us an in-depth view of what it was like being mentored by Jonnie Cochran during the OJ Simpson case, and what it is like working with celebrities like Lindsey Lohan.
Guest Bio
Shawn Holley was born and raised in Southern California—a rare California native. She went to school here, UCLA and Southwestern Law School and became a public defender and then, learned the ropes from famed O.J. Simpon attorney and community leader, Johnny Cochran. She was a member of the dream team—although still quite young with all her hair. Shawn is now a partner at Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert. With more than sixty trials to her credit, Ms. Holley is the rare trial attorney who practices in the areas of both civil and criminal litigation.
Shawn most recently represented Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton, Michelle Rodriquez, the Kardashian sisters, Shemar Moore, and “CSI” star, Gary Dourdan, in their highly-publicized court cases. Her clients have included accused Symbionese Liberation Army bomber Sara Jane Olson, celebrated Black Panther leader Geronimo Pratt, entertainers Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, The Game, Axl Rose, and of course, some athletes are in the mix. These include Mike Tyson, “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Reggie Bush.
Episode Breakdown
M00:00 INTRO
03:06 What was it like representing Lindsey Lohan in the wake of all the terrible public sentiment towards young female celebrities on trial like Paris Hilton?
05:14 Can you tell us why you briefly stopped representing Lindsey Lohan?
08:00 Was it difficult to represent her because the public felt like Lindsey and other celebrities weren’t getting judged as harshly as others?
09:50 So is it the judge who is reacting to the spotlight?
10:50 Did it make you anxious when you saw the judge reacting to Paris Hilton’s behavior when you were in court with Lindsey?
12:45 Don’t you think the public was disappointed when Lindsey wasn’t sent to jail?
13:45 Is it your responsibility to manage how a trial may effect your clients professional life?
16:38 Why was there so little public empathy for Lindsey compared to others like Robert Downey Jr.?
20:00 Why did it take so long for Dina Lohan to publicly acknowledge that her daughter had a problem?
21:30 Do you feel like its part of your job to have a relationship with media?
23:55 What about with specific media sources like TMZ who thrive on scandal stories?
27:20 Where you involved in the Jackson trial at all?
28:30 What did you think of the Conrad Murray case?
33:55 What did you learn working with Johnnie Cochran and how have you imitated him in your approach to community outreach?
35:30 What do you think about women in law and how they are treated/mentored?
39:55 Who was the most egomaniacal of the “dream team?”
42:10 Was there a lot of backlash towards you after the OJ Simpson case trial?
43:20 Do you think the media is racist towards African Americans on trial?
44:45 Do you think Nancy Grace’s coverage is racist and/or sexist?
47:50 Mayhem Round with Producer Nick.
48:45 What did you think of the Hollywood Reporter’s “Power Lawyers of 2011″ photo-shoot?
54:50 Was Casey Anthony’s posting videos on youtube a bad idea?
58:20 What do you think of the supreme court’s decision to make it harder to introduce eye-witness testimony at criminal trials?
1:00:45 Will this make it more difficult for you to represent your clients?
1:01:25 What do you think of the coverage of the Sandusky case so far? Is there any way for the defense to turn public opinion around?
1:04:05 Wrap Up.
Additional Links
show moreComments
Share
Hosted By
Allison Hope Weiner
Allison Hope Weiner was a Century City entertainment litigator before she began writing about Hollywood as a journalist. A graduate of Columbia University and the University of Southern California Law Center, she joined the legendary firm of Wyman, Bautzer—where she represented entertainers and corporate media clients.
