Partner
A Legendary Trial Lawyer’s Passing
Gerry Spence — one of America’s most legendary trial lawyers and the founder of the Trial Lawyers College — passed away this week at 96. He defended the accused, won landmark civil cases, and spent his later years teaching young lawyers that success in the courtroom was, at its core, about truth and connection.
My Time at “The Ranch”
In September 2013, after just three years of practice, I spent three weeks at “The Ranch” in Dubois, Wyoming, attending the immersive program he created to teach lawyers not just how to win, but how to connect with juries, clients, and themselves. I went in skeptical. I’m a naturally cerebral person, more comfortable dissecting facts than sharing feelings. But The Ranch had other plans. In the span of just three weeks, I lived through summer’s lingering warmth, the golden crisp of fall, and the first bite of winter. Yes, it snowed in September! I climbed Spence Mountain almost every day — a thousand feet of elevation change, sweating the entire way. I met Tiger, an orange tabby with the hunting instincts of a lion. And I made lifelong friends.
Between the early-morning climbs and the late-night talks, we learned the Spence method. We didn’t just practice our trial skills, although we did do that. We opened up, exposed our vulnerabilities, and used that to make ourselves and each other better, not just as lawyers but as people. I am still the cerebral person I’ve always been. But because of Gerry and his Ranch, I carry more of a human touch into my work and my life.
Thank you, Gerry. Your memory will live on in all of those whose lives you touched.