Geoffrey Feiger is going to trial. According to the indictment, he and his partner, Vernon Johnson funneled $127,000 into the John Edwards campaign. Talk about a bad guy (and a waste of money).
But Feiger is a high-flying lawyer, and showboat who has drawn as much attention to himself as almost any man could handle. Any man, this is, except Gerry Spence. Now I’m riffing off Norm on this, because of the Gerry Spence piece of this. You see, Norm never writes the name “Gerry Spense” without including the phrase, “who boasts he’s never lost a criminal case.” I laugh out loud every time I read this.
Gerry Spence is one of those larger than life characters. He’s built a cult around him of lawyers who have become so captivated by his tales that he is the closest thing to a lawyer-God there is. Others, like Norm (who I believe sat around the Gerry Spence campfire with his face covered in war paint) have fallen off the wagon. Some people need heroes, larger-than-life beings who inspire them. Gerry Spence is such a hero to many, but he unabashedly lets everyone know that he is the hero, the man who you should be inspired by.
Spence set up a world dedicated to himself in Wyoming. It’s one of the few places big enough to fit his ego. It’s also one of the few places where you can still wear a fringed cowboy-type jacket and not have people make fun of you. Not that anyone would make fun of Gerry Spence, because he’s, well, Gerry Spence.
But can is there a Detroit Courtroom big enough for Gerry? Remember, it’s not like he gets to have the whole courtroom for himself, either, as he’s got a client with no small ego of his own. I envision Gerry and Geoffrey discussing how they plan to split up the relative ego space in the courtroom between them. I see Gerry winning the lion’s share, because he is a bigger hero than Feiger. Did I mention that he brags that he’s never lost a criminal case?
When this mutt of a trial begins, I can see talking heads trying to explain what’s going on in United States District Court judge Paul Borman’s courtroom. Will any of them have the guts to talk about the clash of the titan egos? This could be precious.
Bear in mind that Gerry Spence was the lawyer who represented Imelda Marcos, the steward of all footwear, in the Southern District of New York. After the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, one was asked whether it was because of Gery Spence. The response was it was despite Gerry Spence. Ouch.
Cases like this are the equivalent of soap operas for lawyers. The players are so puffed up and self-important that we watch just to see them crash. If all goes well, this could be one of the ugliest trials ever, edging out even the OJ1 trial (see, I already anticipate the Vegas trial with baited breath). This case has all the makings of an Academy Award winner. How cool is that!
Addendum: I’ve been chastised by Jon Katz for spreading vicous gossip about Gerry Spence’s ego. There are some (perhaps many) who believe that Gerry Spence is the best there is, and that what I view as ego is hard-earned self-worth. Maybe he is. Maybe Gerry Spence is the best criminal defense lawyer alive today. Maybe he is the best ever. I’m not sure how one would determine that, but it’s possible.
But, Jon questioned why I would post something negative about Gerry. I suppose he’s right, that there’s no particular reason why I need to post something negative about another criminal defense lawyer. My only response is that I can be critical about prosecutors, judges, lawprofs, whoever, and see it as hypocritical to refuse to do the same merely because someone is on my side of the fence.
While we may be taught that it is wrong to spread vicious gossip, we are also told to be modest in all things. They go hand in hand.
But Feiger is a high-flying lawyer, and showboat who has drawn as much attention to himself as almost any man could handle. Any man, this is, except Gerry Spence. Now I’m riffing off Norm on this, because of the Gerry Spence piece of this. You see, Norm never writes the name “Gerry Spense” without including the phrase, “who boasts he’s never lost a criminal case.” I laugh out loud every time I read this.
Gerry Spence is one of those larger than life characters. He’s built a cult around him of lawyers who have become so captivated by his tales that he is the closest thing to a lawyer-God there is. Others, like Norm (who I believe sat around the Gerry Spence campfire with his face covered in war paint) have fallen off the wagon. Some people need heroes, larger-than-life beings who inspire them. Gerry Spence is such a hero to many, but he unabashedly lets everyone know that he is the hero, the man who you should be inspired by.
Spence set up a world dedicated to himself in Wyoming. It’s one of the few places big enough to fit his ego. It’s also one of the few places where you can still wear a fringed cowboy-type jacket and not have people make fun of you. Not that anyone would make fun of Gerry Spence, because he’s, well, Gerry Spence.
But can is there a Detroit Courtroom big enough for Gerry? Remember, it’s not like he gets to have the whole courtroom for himself, either, as he’s got a client with no small ego of his own. I envision Gerry and Geoffrey discussing how they plan to split up the relative ego space in the courtroom between them. I see Gerry winning the lion’s share, because he is a bigger hero than Feiger. Did I mention that he brags that he’s never lost a criminal case?
When this mutt of a trial begins, I can see talking heads trying to explain what’s going on in United States District Court judge Paul Borman’s courtroom. Will any of them have the guts to talk about the clash of the titan egos? This could be precious.
Bear in mind that Gerry Spence was the lawyer who represented Imelda Marcos, the steward of all footwear, in the Southern District of New York. After the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, one was asked whether it was because of Gery Spence. The response was it was despite Gerry Spence. Ouch.
Cases like this are the equivalent of soap operas for lawyers. The players are so puffed up and self-important that we watch just to see them crash. If all goes well, this could be one of the ugliest trials ever, edging out even the OJ1 trial (see, I already anticipate the Vegas trial with baited breath). This case has all the makings of an Academy Award winner. How cool is that!
Addendum: I’ve been chastised by Jon Katz for spreading vicous gossip about Gerry Spence’s ego. There are some (perhaps many) who believe that Gerry Spence is the best there is, and that what I view as ego is hard-earned self-worth. Maybe he is. Maybe Gerry Spence is the best criminal defense lawyer alive today. Maybe he is the best ever. I’m not sure how one would determine that, but it’s possible.
But, Jon questioned why I would post something negative about Gerry. I suppose he’s right, that there’s no particular reason why I need to post something negative about another criminal defense lawyer. My only response is that I can be critical about prosecutors, judges, lawprofs, whoever, and see it as hypocritical to refuse to do the same merely because someone is on my side of the fence.
While we may be taught that it is wrong to spread vicious gossip, we are also told to be modest in all things. They go hand in hand.
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Hi, Scott- I just saw your above addendum recently, so have attached my unedited email to which you refer.
You’re entitled to be critical about Gerry Spence and anyone else, and I’ll be the first one to defend your right to say anything you wish about anyone.
As to Gerry, he has been a critical catalyst to my advancement as an individual and lawyer (http://markskatz.com/tlcart.htm ). Although my primary motivation for attending the Trial Lawyers College was the participation of my guru Steve Rench of Denver, I have learned tremendously from Gerry, who was at the forefront of starting the Trial Lawyers College.
Curiously, no matter how much Gerry does or does not have a huge ego, two of his closest friends were about as without-ego as could be: the late John Johnson (http://www.markskatz.com/MeetingMotherEarth.htm ) and the late Bob Rose. Another amazing person I met at the TLC and who has helped me grow very much is psychodramatist and social worker Don Clarkson, again without any big ego.
For whatever it’s worth, I feel much more calm, and thus more powerful, by focusing on attacking the sin than the proverbial sinner, although I still often attack the sinner.
My law partner and I very much believe in the benefit of avoiding speaking loshon hora. I once asked him if he thought I’d find a loshon hora exception for my comments about certain prosecutors, cops and judges. I’ve found no such exception yet.
Have a great weekend. Jon
From: Jon Katz [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2007 11:13 PM
To: ‘[email protected]’
Cc: ‘Jon Katz’
Subject: Saddened
Hi, Scott- How are you doing? I recently read your piece about Gerry Spence
http://blog.simplejustice.us/2007/11/24/this-ones-gonna-be-ugly.aspx
Although a rather agnostic Jew, I wince at loshon hora http://www.torah.org/learning/beyond-pshat/5763/vayeitzei.html , which essentially is vicious gossip about others. I am left scratching my head to figure out how your dicussion of Gerry Spence’s ego amounts to anything but useless loshon hora.
I’d be writing you this message whether or not I were an attendee of the Trial Lawyers College, which I am.
Take care. Jon
Jon,
I’m not sure what your going for here. Do you want me to proclaim Gerry Spence a saint because you care deeply for him? I don’t question your admiration for him. And I have no reason to dispute the reasons you feel the way you do. I’ve talked about Spence with a number of Trial Lawyer College grads, some of whom think Gerry Spence is the best thing since sliced bread and others who think he is the most overbearing, egotistical, megalomaniac who ever lived.
To each his own. You view this as “loshon hora” because of how you feel about him. For me, his self-aggrandizing, outrageous boasting makes him a target of his own chosing. It’s not my fault that he feels compelled to exclaim to the world at every possible opportunity that he is God’s gift to the law. The Talmud also speaks to Tzniut, modesty or humility. Gerry doesn’t get the benefit of the talmud without the responsibility that goes with it.
As someone who has been pulled out of the maze of injustice by Gerry Spence and his partners…I do belive that Gerry is the best thing since sliced bread!…He gives his whole heart to the battle, what more can a client ask for? As for his ego, maybe he is just telling it as it is. Maybe there are some who are jealous of his successes. I just know that we need more like him, because this world is filled with injustices.
I thought that it was mandatory for an attorney to have a big ego. We non-attorneys expect it!