They say you shouldn’t meet your heroes. It isn’t a problem for me as I don’t know where Gotham City is and its hero doesn’t leave it. I did break the rule and meet a hero, and it went as one might expect. I don’t regret it, but now that he is dead I am reflecting.
I met Gerry Spence twice, both times at the Trial Lawyers’ College. The original TLC, not the reboot- more on that in a minute.
For context, I met Gerry well past his peak. He was as charming as he had ever been. He was a living legend and at TLC he was surrounded by younger lawyers who were in awe of him. In group settings he didn’t take center stage, content to stir the pot and start spirited discussions that he then slid out of to watch with a grin. When he did give a lecture, his voice was booming and held the room.
Unfortunately for me, I had a bit less admiration for him when he spoke. He admitted to being a little racist and was noticeably misogynistic in his comments. Given that he was in his 80s we looked past those defects. A younger man would not have gotten a pass but he did.
Gerry Spence influenced me as a person and as a lawyer. I initially applied to the then six week long College shortly after law school and didn’t get accepted. I kept the “personal” rejection letter he sent, only to learn later that all of us rejects got the same form.
TLC exclusively taught criminal defense lawyers and plaintiff’s lawyers- lawyers for the people Gerry would often say. The setting was his Thunderhead Ranch near Jackson, Wyoming. It was beautiful, so remote that cell service didn’t reach it and one was more likely to see a moose than a passing car. Students really had no choice but to immerse themselves in the coursework as there were few distractions.
The College format changed a couple of decades in, allowing attorneys to graduate by completing several shorter courses. I was in a bit of a crisis when I celebrated a big zero birthday at his ranch on my first such course. I had lost a rear end car crash case for a client- as close to a slam dunk as we get in my practice. I had been experimenting with a method that had scripts coming out of my mouth that weren’t my words and the jury knew it. I was second guessing my career and my identity.
The foundation of the TLC method was psychodrama. I was skeptical as psychos and drama are two things I strive to avoid. I overcame my misgivings and went all in for the experience. We students stepped outside of our comfort zones every day with some of the most insightful teachers I have met. In all, I spent three separate weeks in pilgrimages to Thunderhead Ranch.
I got up before the sun came up and hiked to the top of Spence Mountain most mornings on a path that Gerry was said to walk each day until well into his 70s. We stopped at the pile of rocks that past students had carried up and I left my own there. It is not overstating to call it a magical place with magical experiences.
I brought a flat green rock back from the Mountain and carried it in my pocket for several years, till it broke in half. In writer’s terms, that was foreshadowing.
In the last decade, there was contentious litigation between the Trial Lawyers’ College and the Spence Foundation. The outcome left TLC homeless and left me with a hole in my heart.
I am still a little angry and a lot disappointed with the end of TLC’s relationship with its founder but I keep an autographed picture of Spence and some trinkets from TLC in my office. A wise friend reminded me that I shouldn’t toss aside all of the good that Gerry Spence did, for me and others, on account of his part in the destruction of one of his greatest accomplishments. Human heroes are still human after all. The lives of lawyers he touched and clients he helped through them are his real legacy. RIP Mr. Spence.
©2025 With All Due Respect. Spencer Farris is the founding partner of The S.E. Farris Law Firm in St Louis, Missouri. He still avoids psychos and drama when he can. Comments or criticisms about this column may be sent c/o this publication or directly to him via email at farris@farrislaw.net.
Title: Founder | Trial Attorney | Advocate for Injury Victims
Bio: For more than three decades, Spencer E. Farris has dedicated his career to helping injured people stand up to insurance companies, large corporations, and powerful institutions. As the founder of The S.E. Farris Law Firm, he has built a reputation throughout Missouri and Illinois for thoughtful advocacy, courtroom skill, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Spencer believes the law is more than a profession. It is a public trust. That belief has guided every stage of his career, from his education at Washington University School of Law to his decades representing individuals and families whose lives have been changed by serious injuries, unsafe products, workplace accidents, medical negligence, denied insurance claims, and wrongful conduct. A nationally recognized trial attorney, Spencer is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a distinction earned by only a small percentage of practicing attorneys. He is also a graduate of the Trial Lawyers College and has been selected to Super Lawyers year after year for his work on behalf of injury victims. Beyond the courtroom, Spencer has helped shape the legal profession itself. He has served on the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys Board of Governors and held leadership roles as both associate editor and editor of the organization's magazine. Throughout his career, he has remained actively involved in advancing trial advocacy and protecting access to justice for everyday people. What clients often appreciate most about Spencer is his approachability. He understands that most people contact a lawyer during one of the most difficult periods of their lives. They are facing uncertainty, mounting bills, physical pain, and pressure from insurance companies. Spencer's goal is not simply to win cases. It is to help clients regain stability, confidence, and control over their futures. Unlike firms that measure success by volume, Spencer intentionally maintains a practice focused on personal attention and meaningful client relationships. Every case receives the preparation, strategy, and advocacy it deserves. Because when someone's future is on the line, they should never feel like just another file on a desk. Today, Spencer continues to represent individuals and families throughout Missouri and Illinois in complex personal injury, car accident, trucking accident, workplace injury, and catastrophic injury matters. His mission remains the same as it was when he opened his firm: to provide skilled legal representation, honest counsel, and relentless advocacy for those who need it most. Spencer's Practice Focus Throughout his career, Spencer has represented clients in cases involving:
- Serious motor vehicle collisions
- Commercial trucking accidents
- Catastrophic and life-altering injuries
- Wrongful death claims
- Dangerous and defective products
- Workplace and construction site injuries
- Insurance disputes and bad faith claims
- Complex personal injury litigation