who is the famous lawyer from jackson hole wyoming

by Adolf Bogisich 5 min read

attorney Gerry Spence

Is attorney Gerry Spence still alive?

Gerald Leonard Spence (born January 8, 1929) is a semi-retired American trial lawyer. He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. Spence has never lost a criminal case either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney, and has not lost a civil case since 1969.

Has Gerry Spence lost a case?

Gerry Spence is widely considered one of the most successful trial and criminal attorneys in America. He has never once lost a criminal case — either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney — and he hasn't lost a civil case since 1969.

What is Gerry Spence doing now?

Spence is the founder of Lawyers and Advocates for Wyoming (L.A.W.), a nonprofit public interest law firm. Spence served as legal consultant for NBC television covering the O.J. Simpson trial and has hosted and appeared on Larry King Live and the Rivera Show numerous times and numerous other national television shows.

Who is the most famous lawyer?

Famous Lawyers You Should KnowRobert Shapiro. Robert Shapiro is one of the best-known lawyers in American history. ... Thurgood Marshall. Thurgood Marshall was one of the most famous lawyers in American history. ... Woodrow Wilson. ... Johnnie Cochran. ... William Howard Taft. ... Andrew Jackson. ... Abraham Lincoln. ... Robert Kardashian.More items...

Who is the most successful attorney?

Without further ado, here's the current list of the top 12 wealthiest, practicing lawyers:Wichai Thongtang. Net Worth: $1.8 billion.Charlie Munger. Net Worth: $1.6 billion.Bill Neukom. Net Worth: $850 million.Judge Judy. Net Worth: $440 million.Robert Shapiro. Net Worth: $120 million.Willie E. Gary. ... John Branca. ... Roy Black.More items...•Sep 29, 2021

Who is the best lawyer in world?

Here are the top 10 highest paid criminal lawyers in the world:Jose Baez. Jose Baez is the best lawyer in the world, with a net worth of $7 million. ... Willie E. Gary. ... John Branca. John graduated from UCLA Law School with a law degree. ... Vernon Jordan. ... Harish Salve. ... Vikkie Ziegler. ... Stacey Gardner. ... Howard K.More items...

What is the biggest law firm in United States?

Baker McKenzie LLPAmerica's 350 Largest Law Firms2018No.Law FirmAttorneys1Baker McKenzie LLP47202DLA Piper LLP37023Norton Rose Fulbright LLP337645 more rows

Who is Gerry Spence married to?

Imaging SpenceGerry Spence / Spouse

Was F Lee Bailey a pilot?

Francis Lee Bailey was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, on June 10, 1933. He attended Harvard University but dropped out after two years, joined the Marines, became a fighter pilot, and joined a legal team at the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station in North Carolina.Jun 5, 2021

Who was the very first lawyer?

The earliest people who could be described as "lawyers" were probably the orators of ancient Athens (see History of Athens). However, Athenian orators faced serious structural obstacles.

Who is the best lawyer in the world 2021?

U.S. News – Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms Jul 19, 2021 — Jose Baez is the best lawyer in the world, with a net worth of $7 million dollars.

Who was the prosecutor for the Kennedy assassination?

In 1986, Spence defended Lee Harvey Oswald, the deceased assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, against well-known prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi in a 21-hour televised unscripted mock trial sponsored by London Weekend Television in the United Kingdom. The mock trial involved an actual U.S. judge, a jury of U.S. citizens, the introduction of hundreds of evidence exhibits, and many actual witnesses to events surrounding and including the assassination. The jury returned a guilty verdict. Expressing admiration for his adversary's prosecutorial skill, Spence remarked, "No other lawyer in America could have done what Vince did in this case." The "docu-trial" and his preparation for it inspired Bugliosi's 1600-page book examining the details of the Kennedy assassination and various related conspiracy theories, entitled Reclaiming History, winner of the 2008 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime. Several times in the book Bugliosi specifically cites his respect for Spence's abilities as a defense attorney as his impetus for digging more deeply into various aspects of the case than he perhaps would have otherwise.

Who was Karen Silkwood?

Spence gained attention for the Karen Silkwood case. Karen Silkwood was a chemical technician at the Kerr-McGee plutonium -production plant, where she became an activist and vocal critic of plant safety, also known as a whistleblower. On November 13, 1974, Silkwood died in a one-car crash under suspicious circumstances after reportedly gathering evidence for her union. Spence represented Silkwood's father and children, who charged that Kerr-McGee was responsible for exposing Silkwood to dangerous levels of radiation. Spence won a $10.5 million verdict for the family.

What did Spence do in 2004?

During the election season of 2004, Spence, a vocal opponent of tort reform, crisscrossed his native Wyoming spearheading a series of self-funded town hall-style meetings to inform voters of an upcoming ballot measure, Constitutional Amendment D, which would have limited Wyoming citizens' ability to recover compensation if injured by medical malpractice. The ballot measure failed, with a 50.3% "No" vote.

Who was the founder of Earth First?

Spence also defended Earth First! founder David Foreman, who in 1990 had been charged with conspiracy for an alleged plot to sabotage a water-pumping station. On June 2, 2008, Spence obtained an acquittal of Detroit lawyer Geoffrey Fieger, who was charged with making unlawful campaign contributions.

Did Spence lose a civil case?

After the Silkwood case, Spence tried a number of high-profile cases. He has not lost a civil case since 1969 and has never lost a criminal case with a trial by jury.

Where was Gary from?

From Business: Gary was born in and grew up in Casper, Wyoming. He went to college at Yale University and graduated in 1973 with a double degree in Political Science and…

What is YP in the Yellow Pages?

YP - The Real Yellow Pages SM - helps you find the right local businesses to meet your specific needs. Search results are sorted by a combination of factors to give you a set of choices in response to your search criteria. These factors are similar to those you might use to determine which business to select from a local Yellow Pages directory, including proximity to where you are searching, expertise in the specific services or products you need, and comprehensive business information to help evaluate a business's suitability for you. “Preferred” listings, or those with featured website buttons, indicate YP advertisers who directly provide information about their businesses to help consumers make more informed buying decisions. YP advertisers receive higher placement in the default ordering of search results and may appear in sponsored listings on the top, side, or bottom of the search results page.

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Numerous Lifetime Achievement Awards

  • Gerry Spence takes pride in being a country lawyer. Born, raised and educated in Wyoming, Spence graduated cum laudefrom the University of Wyoming Law School in 1952. The University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in May 1990. He has been honored for law and …
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Gerry's Notable Cases

  • Spence first gained national recognition when he received a $10,500,000 verdict against Kerr-McGee in the Karen Silkwood case on behalf of her children. Later he earned such verdicts as $26,535,000 against “Penthouse Magazine” for Miss Wyoming, and successfully defended Ed Cantrell in the famous Rock Springs, Wyoming murder case. Spence received a $52,000,000 ver…
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Published Works

  • Spence is the author of eighteen published books: 1. Gunning for Justice, (Doubleday 1982); 2. Of Murder and Madness, (Doubleday 1983); 3. Trial by Fire, (William Morrow 1986); 4. With Justice For None, (Times books 1989, Penguin Books paperback 1990); 5. From Freedom to Slavery, (St. Martin's Press 1993); 6. How to Argue and Win Every Time, (St. Martin's Press 1995); 7. The Mak…
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Distinguished Memberships

  • Spence is the founder and a former director of the nonprofit Trial Lawyers Collegewhere lawyers, young and old, learn the Spence method of trying cases on behalf of the people. The Trial Lawyers College also conducts a yearly death penalty seminar for public defenders and others defending against the death penalty, and Trial Lawyers College provides four weekly seminars around the c…
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Overview

Gerald Leonard Spence (born January 8, 1929) is a semi-retired American trial lawyer. He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. Spence has never lost a criminal case either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney, and has not lost a civil case since 1969.

Background

Spence graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1949 and from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 1952. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in May 1990. He started his career in Riverton, Wyoming, and later became a successful defense attorney for the insurance industry. Years later, Spence said he "saw the light" and became committed to representing people instead of corporations, insurance companies, banks, or "big business".

High-profile cases

Spence gained attention for the Karen Silkwood case. Karen Silkwood was a chemical technician at the Kerr-McGee plutonium-production plant, where she became an activist and vocal critic of plant safety, also known as a whistleblower. On November 13, 1974, Silkwood died in a one-car crash under suspicious circumstances after reportedly gathering evidence for her union. Spence represented Silkwood's father and children, who charged that Kerr-McGee was responsible for e…

Tort reform activism

During the election season of 2004, Spence, a vocal opponent of tort reform, crisscrossed his native Wyoming spearheading a series of self-funded town hall-style meetings to inform voters of an upcoming ballot measure, Constitutional Amendment D, which would have limited Wyoming citizens' ability to recover compensation if injured by medical malpractice. The ballot measure failed, with a 50.3% "No" vote.

Public interest and television work

For many years, Spence has lectured at law schools and conducted seminars at various legal organizations around the country.
He is the founder and director of the non-profit Trial Lawyers College, where, per its mission statement, lawyers and judges "committed to the jury system" are trained to help achieve justice for individuals fighting "corporate and government oppression," particularly those individuals wh…

Later life

After winning the Fieger acquittal in 2008, Spence told jurors, "This is my last case. I will be 80 in January, and it's time for me to quit, to put down the sword." In 2010, Spence was still listed as an active partner in the Spence Law Firm, located in Jackson, Wyoming, and continues to make public appearances. Gerry Spence's next case, a civil suit for wrongful incarceration, ended with a mistrial in December 2012, when the jury could not come to a unanimous decision. Per the cite t…

Partial bibliography

Gerry Spence is the author of more than a dozen books, including:
• Gunning for Justice - My Life and Trials (Doubleday 1982) ISBN 9780385177030
• Of Murder and Madness: A True Story of Insanity and the Law (Doubleday 1983) ISBN 978-0385188012
• Trial by Fire: The True Story of a Woman's Ordeal at the Hands of the Law (William Morrow 1986) ISBN 9780688060756

Further reading

• Wyoming in Profile, Pruett Publishing, Boulder, Colorado, 1981, by Jean Henry Mead. ISBN 9780871086006

• Wyoming in Profile, Pruett Publishing, Boulder, Colorado, 1981, by Jean Henry Mead. ISBN 9780871086006