US EditionFringe-Wearing Wyoming Trial Lawyer Gerry Spence Dies at 96
Gerry Spence, undefeated in criminal defense, founded the Trial Lawyers College and won landmark cases including a $10.5 million verdict for nuclear whistleblower Karen Silkwood's family.
- On Wednesday, Gerry Spence, defense attorney, died peacefully at his Thunderhead Ranch in Wyoming at age 96, according to sources close to him.
- Born Jan. 8, 1929, in Laramie, Wyoming, Gerry Spence earned his law degree from the University of Wyoming in 1952.
- Key among his cases, Spence's landmark wins included a $10.5 million verdict for the Silkwood estate and acquittals of Imelda Marcos and Randy Weaver.
- The college, founded at Thunderhead Ranch in Wyoming, incorporates Spence Method training, which has influenced modern trial practice.
- His writings, including 'How to Argue and Win Every Time', reflect his enduring influence, exemplified by his quote 'When you stand for the powerless, you stand for all of us'.
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66 Articles
Gerry Spence, legendary trial lawyer who fought to 'free the people of this country from the slavery of its new corporate masters,' dies at 96
The fringe jacket-wearing trial lawyer from Wyoming was known for a string of major court wins starting with a multimillion-dollar judgment against a plutonium processor in the landmark Karen Silkwood case.
Laramie-born superstar lawyer Gerry Spence remembered for 'homespun eloquence,' cunning expertise
CASPER, Wyo. – One of the most well-known trial lawyers and Wyoming native Gerry Spence has died. He was 96. According to the Associated Press, he died surrounded by family at his home in Montecito, California. “We are proud of his legacy and his contributions to the world, but most importantly, we are proud to be part of the family he built with love. We feel this loss deeply and we will carry him with us always,” read a family statement from g…
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Associated Press News
Fringe-wearing Wyoming trial lawyer Gerry Spence dies at 96
Well-known Wyoming trial lawyer Gerry Spence has died at age 96. Spence’s 1979 court victory against an Oklahoma plutonium processor was turned into the 1983 movie “Silkwood” starring Meryl Streep.
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