Gerry Spence, Unbeaten ‘Country Lawyer,’ Dies at 96

Gerry Spence, the legendary Wyoming attorney whose folksy style and relentless advocacy won him every criminal jury trial he ever argued, died Wednesday at his Montecito home. He was 96.

Over more than five decades, Spence built a reputation as a “country lawyer” who took on some of the nation’s most powerful institutions. His high-profile cases included a $10.5 million verdict against Kerr-McGee Corporation in the Karen Silkwood case, a $26.5 million libel judgment against Penthouse magazine, and a $52 million award for a Wyoming ice cream maker in a contract battle with McDonald’s. He also successfully defended clients ranging from former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos to Randy Weaver after the Ruby Ridge standoff.

Known for his buckskins, Western drawl, and storytelling, Spence remained unbeaten in civil trials from 1969 until his retirement in 2010. In 1994, he founded the Trial Lawyers College in Wyoming, training attorneys to represent “the poor, the injured, the forgotten, the damned.” He also authored more than a dozen books and became a familiar face on CNBC, offering candid commentary during the O.J. Simpson trial.

“He dedicated his life to fighting for the rights and freedom of ordinary people,” said Joseph H. Low IV, Vice President of the Gerry Spence Method. “No lawyer has done as much to free the people of this country from the slavery of its new corporate masters.”

Spence is survived by his wife of 57 years, LaNelle “Imaging” Spence, six children, 13 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Services are pending.