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Gerry Spence: Gunning for Justice
The defense attorney who won the $10.5 million settlement in the Karen Silkwood case and a record libel judgement against "Penthouse" magazine recalls his famous trials and discusses his views on the American justice system
470 pages, Hardcover
First published July 27, 1982
7 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Gerry Spence
35 books65 followersGerry Spence is a trial lawyer in the United States. In 2008, he announced he would retire, at age 79, at the end of the Geoffrey Fieger trial in Detroit, MI. Spence did not lose a criminal case in the over 50 years he practiced law. He started his career as a prosecutor and later became a successful defense attorney for the insurance industry. Years later, Spence said he "saw the light" and became committed to representing people, instead of corporations, insurance companies, banks, or "big business."
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 24, 2021
The second book Gerry wrote, but the first published, it chronicles some of his notorious trials. If there was one Spence book to read, this would be the one. This book was given to me by my mentor. I've given this book to several new trial lawyers over the years. It's required reading for every new lawyer who's got the grit and drive to represent real people.
January 24, 2021
As a young person growing up in Utah, I remember numerous times when my TV brought the authoritative voice with that homespun Wyoming accent into my house. Those of us who lived in the mountain states were more-than familiar with Gerry Spence, the trial lawyer who knew how to stick it to the man and who didn’t know how to lose. While I disagreed with his extreme anti-death penalty stance, he inspired me in my younger years as a guy who at least cared about the individual more than the corporation. There was something about that accent as I heard it on KSL TV in those days—something that bespoke the old west without the grammatical flaws of a speaker of the old west. It intrigued me then, and this book rewards me now with much to think about.
This is essentially Spence’s memoirs both of growing up a quintessentially Wyoming citizen and defending cases that were both heartbreaking and inspiring.
You get a glimpse of his family—a dad who taught him to hunt, to stock animals, to kill them, to use every part of them and leave nothing wasted. He ultimately thinks of his courtroom experiences as a hunt—a hunt for the truth and justice. You’ll read with shock and sadness about the suicide of his Christ-like mother and the lifelong impact her death had on him. You’ll find almost-poetry here as he waxes rhapsodic about Wyoming’s natural resources and its mountain grandeurs. He gives you an unflinching look at his personal failings and his arrogance especially as a young man. You read about his early marriage and his adulterous affair that ended that marriage. He certainly does not come across here as a Paragon of virtue. And yet, you find virtuous things about the man that you cannot help but celebrate.
He focuses on specific cases he handled over the years. Arguably the most famous nationally was the Karen Silkwood case in which he sought to prove that an Oklahoma energy company neglected its duties in terms of looking out for its employees. Indeed, he sought to prove that company officials killed Karen Because of her union organizing activities. He won that case, but a judicial panel would ultimately reduce the damages.
You will read of another heartbreaking case of a small boy whose deformities occur because of his mother’s decision to use a particular early pregnancy test. Spence won that case, 2, but the story of the broken mother and the courage of a little boy will touch you.
Then, there is the case of the cop accused of murdering a fellow officer. Spence proves that the cop committed the murder in self-defense. He marveled that while a jury provided a not guilty verdict, residents of the state were unable and unwilling to find the cop free from sin. People dogged him with the accusation wherever he went throughout the remainder of his life.
The courtroom drama is compelling and reads more like a novel than a memoir. It held me spellbound throughout. According to my Amazon smart speaker, as of this writing, Spence is still alive and not long ago celebrated his 92nd birthday. I have no idea as to his actual status.
I confess that I started this book twice. Sometimes when we read, it really is all about timing. During my first attempt a few months ago, I got about 20% through the book, and almost deleted it from my audiobook player. I'm thrilled I didn't do that. Upon rereading it this past week, for whatever reason I engaged more fully in the book Anne found it far more rewarding the second time through.
This is essentially Spence’s memoirs both of growing up a quintessentially Wyoming citizen and defending cases that were both heartbreaking and inspiring.
You get a glimpse of his family—a dad who taught him to hunt, to stock animals, to kill them, to use every part of them and leave nothing wasted. He ultimately thinks of his courtroom experiences as a hunt—a hunt for the truth and justice. You’ll read with shock and sadness about the suicide of his Christ-like mother and the lifelong impact her death had on him. You’ll find almost-poetry here as he waxes rhapsodic about Wyoming’s natural resources and its mountain grandeurs. He gives you an unflinching look at his personal failings and his arrogance especially as a young man. You read about his early marriage and his adulterous affair that ended that marriage. He certainly does not come across here as a Paragon of virtue. And yet, you find virtuous things about the man that you cannot help but celebrate.
He focuses on specific cases he handled over the years. Arguably the most famous nationally was the Karen Silkwood case in which he sought to prove that an Oklahoma energy company neglected its duties in terms of looking out for its employees. Indeed, he sought to prove that company officials killed Karen Because of her union organizing activities. He won that case, but a judicial panel would ultimately reduce the damages.
You will read of another heartbreaking case of a small boy whose deformities occur because of his mother’s decision to use a particular early pregnancy test. Spence won that case, 2, but the story of the broken mother and the courage of a little boy will touch you.
Then, there is the case of the cop accused of murdering a fellow officer. Spence proves that the cop committed the murder in self-defense. He marveled that while a jury provided a not guilty verdict, residents of the state were unable and unwilling to find the cop free from sin. People dogged him with the accusation wherever he went throughout the remainder of his life.
The courtroom drama is compelling and reads more like a novel than a memoir. It held me spellbound throughout. According to my Amazon smart speaker, as of this writing, Spence is still alive and not long ago celebrated his 92nd birthday. I have no idea as to his actual status.
I confess that I started this book twice. Sometimes when we read, it really is all about timing. During my first attempt a few months ago, I got about 20% through the book, and almost deleted it from my audiobook player. I'm thrilled I didn't do that. Upon rereading it this past week, for whatever reason I engaged more fully in the book Anne found it far more rewarding the second time through.
June 19, 2012
Gerry Spence recounts three important and fascinating trials, including the Karen Silwood case, while ruminating on life and what's important in it. A great read for anyone introduced in issues of justice and the legal system in America.
August 23, 2023
His first published book, and also the best!
January 9, 2023
What is your calling? Doctor, actor, builder, designer, teacher, or something else? Throughout our lives, we all have a calling that is a life-long journey. If you find your calling early enough and you put forth your effort, hard work, and determination, you will cross the threshold to life-long success and happiness. Whatever your calling may be, mine is most definitely in the legal field. Specifically, I would love to become a criminal defense attorney who fights against and improves our undeveloped criminal justice system; additionally, I would love to practice civil litigation as I have observed fascinating cases that have enhanced my interest. Because I have a passion for law, I read Gunning for Justice by Gerry Spence.
Gerry Spence is known for arguably being the best American trial lawyer and has rarely lost a case. For his renowned work on never losing a jury trial criminal case or losing a civil case in half a century, he is in the Trial Lawyer of Fame. Throughout the past year and a half, the name “Gerry Spence” has only come up in conversation more as I have talked to more attorneys. As Gerry Spence has been a name that has passed through my conversations, I have only taken part more interest in his work, life, and success.
Gunning for Justice was published in 1982 to discuss the famous trial lawyer who won $10.5 million in the infamous Karen Silkwood case. Additionally, the book entails many other of Gerry Spence’s famous cases that sent him into a whirlpool of success. As I research more of Spence’s life aside from reading his book, I have come to learn from SpenceLawyers.com that he started as an insurance attorney working for the government. Until “a man in a grocery store line” changed his life forever. This man just so happened to be on the opposing side of the council that lost to Spence just prior. When he realized how he has been only helping the corrupt system by working for the government, he decided that that was when he would change his stance and defend against the government, huge corporations, etc.; in other words, he wants to defend the people and the well-being of society. This was only the first step of his journey to never losing a criminal case as a prosecutor and as a defender.
A majority of Gunning for Justice was all about Spence’s legendary case, the Karen Silkwood case. Karen Silkwood worked for a plant in Oklahoma where she realized major safety precautions that weren’t being addressed. She gathered vital information on the company and then all of a sudden, she mysteriously died in a one-car crash. As she wasn’t alive long enough to fight her case, her family took over and hired Gerry Spence to argue a lawsuit against the company and their wrongdoings. One thing that was discovered from Silkwood’s death was that there was plutonium in her system which is also another mystery of how it got into her system. As there was no doubt that there was something fishy with Karen Silkwood’s death, how plutonium got into her system, the case, and the nuclear plant, Gerry Spence took the case.
The Karen Silkwood case came to be a jury trial. Shockingly, this jury trial lasted ten months long! - Which, I will discuss my passionate thoughts on later. After a long, painful trial, Gerry Spence was waiting patiently but nervously for the verdict to come out. Just as they were called back in for the verdict, he was waiting for the verdict as his father supported Spence right behind him in the courtroom. The second the verdict was presented to the court, Gerry Spence’s life was changed forever. He was now known for winning one of America’s most popular trials in history. Side note: as an aspiring attorney, this was one of the most impactful sections of the book that I had read as it is exactly how I hope to feel someday. I want to know that I succeeded not only just because I can say “I won” but also because I know I served my client well.
What were my most important lessons and takeaways from Gunning for Justice?
One of my biggest takeaways was something that I have already felt passionate about; the corrupt and undeveloped jury trial. This is a topic that I could talk about for hours on end simply because of the negative role it has access to play in the criminal justice system or throughout any area of law that involves a jury; however, to sum into a paragraph, the jury system is a panel of (essentially) judges that do not know the law. I say this because I have met multiple attorneys and people in the legal/law enforcement field who have claimed that lawyers aim to not select jurors who know a lot about the law as they are to find flaws in arguments, evidence, etc. Yet, when we have a jury panel of people who are uneducated about the law and at least half of the people who don’t want to be there because they are supposed to have work and can’t survive off of $10 a day for their service, it is inevitable that there are going to be unfair decisions made. Now, to loop in how this is involved with Gerry Spence, the Karen Silkwood jury trial lasted ten months according to my research. Imagine that happened in today’s time here in Wichita, Kansas where your service is worth $10 for at least 8 hours of work a day. Imagine you were a single parent where you and your children relied on a job that paid more than that. Are we willing to risk potentially a wrong verdict and incarcerate or not incarcerate the wrong person? And are we willing to risk our citizens’ lives and well-being because of a jury trial if they have no education?
Another lesson that I learned throughout Gunning for Justice was the importance of creating a good bond between you and your client. Something that stuck out to me when reading was the unbreakable bond that Spence would form with his clients. Spence was the attorney who would take his client next door to a bar or a restaurant to talk about the case together, to always update his client on what is going on, and to show his true feelings that express he has his client’s best interest in mind. As I aspire to be an attorney, especially a successful one like Gerry Spence, I find it important that I create bonds with my clients as I think it will help me fight their cases better. While I have heard people argue that lawyers shouldn’t get too connected to their clients and their cases, I would have to completely disagree and argue that it is only going to help you and lead you to success as I have seen the impact it has made for Gerry Spence.
Finally, the last takeaway that I had from reading was how well Spence attempted to balance work and family. As someone who is only fifteen and is already on the path to becoming a workaholic, I found it important for me to realize that Spence still focused on spending time with his kids even though he had so much work to do. He attempted to always make space to put work aside for the sake of his other priorities and he still became successful. This taught me that I can still be extremely successful and not have to put work first 100% of the time.
Overall, I rate Gunning for Justice a 6/10. I thought that I learned quite a bit about Gerry Spence and his most popular cases, however, I did find it hard to enjoy the book at times as the writing could be dry at times. If not dry, it could be hard to understand and follow along with as the stories could be explained in complex ways that only law students would likely completely understand. Although I didn’t enjoy this book from beginning to end, Gerry Spence still did do a wonderful job writing his book and I do feel convinced to read another one of his books that would just teach me more about how to successfully debate. In conclusion, I do suggest people read this book, I just don’t think it will be right for everyone.
Gerry Spence is known for arguably being the best American trial lawyer and has rarely lost a case. For his renowned work on never losing a jury trial criminal case or losing a civil case in half a century, he is in the Trial Lawyer of Fame. Throughout the past year and a half, the name “Gerry Spence” has only come up in conversation more as I have talked to more attorneys. As Gerry Spence has been a name that has passed through my conversations, I have only taken part more interest in his work, life, and success.
Gunning for Justice was published in 1982 to discuss the famous trial lawyer who won $10.5 million in the infamous Karen Silkwood case. Additionally, the book entails many other of Gerry Spence’s famous cases that sent him into a whirlpool of success. As I research more of Spence’s life aside from reading his book, I have come to learn from SpenceLawyers.com that he started as an insurance attorney working for the government. Until “a man in a grocery store line” changed his life forever. This man just so happened to be on the opposing side of the council that lost to Spence just prior. When he realized how he has been only helping the corrupt system by working for the government, he decided that that was when he would change his stance and defend against the government, huge corporations, etc.; in other words, he wants to defend the people and the well-being of society. This was only the first step of his journey to never losing a criminal case as a prosecutor and as a defender.
A majority of Gunning for Justice was all about Spence’s legendary case, the Karen Silkwood case. Karen Silkwood worked for a plant in Oklahoma where she realized major safety precautions that weren’t being addressed. She gathered vital information on the company and then all of a sudden, she mysteriously died in a one-car crash. As she wasn’t alive long enough to fight her case, her family took over and hired Gerry Spence to argue a lawsuit against the company and their wrongdoings. One thing that was discovered from Silkwood’s death was that there was plutonium in her system which is also another mystery of how it got into her system. As there was no doubt that there was something fishy with Karen Silkwood’s death, how plutonium got into her system, the case, and the nuclear plant, Gerry Spence took the case.
The Karen Silkwood case came to be a jury trial. Shockingly, this jury trial lasted ten months long! - Which, I will discuss my passionate thoughts on later. After a long, painful trial, Gerry Spence was waiting patiently but nervously for the verdict to come out. Just as they were called back in for the verdict, he was waiting for the verdict as his father supported Spence right behind him in the courtroom. The second the verdict was presented to the court, Gerry Spence’s life was changed forever. He was now known for winning one of America’s most popular trials in history. Side note: as an aspiring attorney, this was one of the most impactful sections of the book that I had read as it is exactly how I hope to feel someday. I want to know that I succeeded not only just because I can say “I won” but also because I know I served my client well.
What were my most important lessons and takeaways from Gunning for Justice?
One of my biggest takeaways was something that I have already felt passionate about; the corrupt and undeveloped jury trial. This is a topic that I could talk about for hours on end simply because of the negative role it has access to play in the criminal justice system or throughout any area of law that involves a jury; however, to sum into a paragraph, the jury system is a panel of (essentially) judges that do not know the law. I say this because I have met multiple attorneys and people in the legal/law enforcement field who have claimed that lawyers aim to not select jurors who know a lot about the law as they are to find flaws in arguments, evidence, etc. Yet, when we have a jury panel of people who are uneducated about the law and at least half of the people who don’t want to be there because they are supposed to have work and can’t survive off of $10 a day for their service, it is inevitable that there are going to be unfair decisions made. Now, to loop in how this is involved with Gerry Spence, the Karen Silkwood jury trial lasted ten months according to my research. Imagine that happened in today’s time here in Wichita, Kansas where your service is worth $10 for at least 8 hours of work a day. Imagine you were a single parent where you and your children relied on a job that paid more than that. Are we willing to risk potentially a wrong verdict and incarcerate or not incarcerate the wrong person? And are we willing to risk our citizens’ lives and well-being because of a jury trial if they have no education?
Another lesson that I learned throughout Gunning for Justice was the importance of creating a good bond between you and your client. Something that stuck out to me when reading was the unbreakable bond that Spence would form with his clients. Spence was the attorney who would take his client next door to a bar or a restaurant to talk about the case together, to always update his client on what is going on, and to show his true feelings that express he has his client’s best interest in mind. As I aspire to be an attorney, especially a successful one like Gerry Spence, I find it important that I create bonds with my clients as I think it will help me fight their cases better. While I have heard people argue that lawyers shouldn’t get too connected to their clients and their cases, I would have to completely disagree and argue that it is only going to help you and lead you to success as I have seen the impact it has made for Gerry Spence.
Finally, the last takeaway that I had from reading was how well Spence attempted to balance work and family. As someone who is only fifteen and is already on the path to becoming a workaholic, I found it important for me to realize that Spence still focused on spending time with his kids even though he had so much work to do. He attempted to always make space to put work aside for the sake of his other priorities and he still became successful. This taught me that I can still be extremely successful and not have to put work first 100% of the time.
Overall, I rate Gunning for Justice a 6/10. I thought that I learned quite a bit about Gerry Spence and his most popular cases, however, I did find it hard to enjoy the book at times as the writing could be dry at times. If not dry, it could be hard to understand and follow along with as the stories could be explained in complex ways that only law students would likely completely understand. Although I didn’t enjoy this book from beginning to end, Gerry Spence still did do a wonderful job writing his book and I do feel convinced to read another one of his books that would just teach me more about how to successfully debate. In conclusion, I do suggest people read this book, I just don’t think it will be right for everyone.
July 6, 2020
When we finally dive into the details of Spence's cases, this book goes from mediocre to fantastic. With a beautiful, introspective narrative of the courtroom action and included opening and closing statements, one gets a glimpse of Spence's brilliant persuasive power in trial. The cases in this book are not your everyday divorce trials; we get to hear about two murder trials from each side of the aisle, and a personal-injury case from a woman who was contaminated (and allegedly murdered) by a plutonium energy company. Each of these cases is wrapped deep in history and surrounded by a mix of the greedy, the powerful, the honest, and the wronged. Spence also describes his views on protecting everyday, hard-working people from powerful insurance companies and corporations, long before it was stylish to do so. It makes me really happy and proud to read about a born and raised Wyomingite that did so much good in the world, without every shipping out to a big city.
I deducted one star, as I had a hard time with the first part of the book. This was mostly because Spence does not seem particularly likable in the first part of the book. He comes off as arrogant, self-centered, and irresponsible. (To his credit, Spence himself admits to having some of these personality problems in the beginning of his life, though not in so many words.) Also: too much wild west imagery. While I respect that Spence grew up and lived in a smaller, wilder, more violent, and poorer Wyoming, the gunslinger references were a little excessive, in my humble Wyomingite opinion.
I deducted one star, as I had a hard time with the first part of the book. This was mostly because Spence does not seem particularly likable in the first part of the book. He comes off as arrogant, self-centered, and irresponsible. (To his credit, Spence himself admits to having some of these personality problems in the beginning of his life, though not in so many words.) Also: too much wild west imagery. While I respect that Spence grew up and lived in a smaller, wilder, more violent, and poorer Wyoming, the gunslinger references were a little excessive, in my humble Wyomingite opinion.
August 24, 2015
Great trial lawyer memoir. Honest account of the insecurities of a premier advocate. Inspired me to go to law school.
May 22, 2021
When I read Nolan Crabb's review of this book, I had no idea who Gerry Spence was, but based on his glowing recommendation, I decided to find out.
If you are looking for an gripping glimpse into some very high profile trials, this is definitely the book for you. I remembered a little bit about the events surrounding Karen Silkwood's death and I was fascinated to learn more about the legal aspects of the case. I knew nothing at all of Ed Cantrell, the Wyoming security director who was put on trial for killing one of his officers; that portion of the book is simply unforgettable.
As a biography, this didn't work for me. Spence is far from perfect and he makes no bones about that. But if there's one thing we learn, it's that he is a master manipulator which is one reason he has never lost a case. I kept thinking about that old game show TO TELL THE TRUTH? If at book's end, I asked "Will the real Gerry Spence please stand up?" I wonder if the person who stood would in any way resemble the man we meet in these pages. I'll never know.
If you are looking for an gripping glimpse into some very high profile trials, this is definitely the book for you. I remembered a little bit about the events surrounding Karen Silkwood's death and I was fascinated to learn more about the legal aspects of the case. I knew nothing at all of Ed Cantrell, the Wyoming security director who was put on trial for killing one of his officers; that portion of the book is simply unforgettable.
As a biography, this didn't work for me. Spence is far from perfect and he makes no bones about that. But if there's one thing we learn, it's that he is a master manipulator which is one reason he has never lost a case. I kept thinking about that old game show TO TELL THE TRUTH? If at book's end, I asked "Will the real Gerry Spence please stand up?" I wonder if the person who stood would in any way resemble the man we meet in these pages. I'll never know.
September 16, 2025
BOOK REVIEW - Gunning for Justice, Gerry Spence (1986)
My wife gave this book to me as a newly minted lawyer headed into a big firm practice. She knew my heart was more for the little guy than large corporations but alas student loan debt required stability for our young family. Nonetheless, the book was good for budding defense lawyer.
The book is part memoir, part legal drama: it tells the story of how a small-town Wyoming lawyer grew into one of America’s most celebrated trial attorneys. The arc is compelling. Spence begins his career doing insurance defense, showing up after accidents, halting compensation to the victims. Over time, he becomes disillusioned with defending insurance and commits himself to representing the underdog— “the average citizen”—in high-stakes civil and criminal cases.
From his early years practicing law in Wyoming to his first breakthrough in the Karen Silkwood case (a $10.5 million verdict in 1979 against Kerr-McGee), Spence builds a reputation for fierce advocacy, eloquent storytelling (in court and on paper), and dramatic flair. His cases are not simply legal contests; they are moral dramas in which Spence casts the balance not just between parties, but between values—corporate power vs. individual rights, authority vs. justice. Gunning for Justice covers a fifteen-month span during which Spence tries four high profile cases: Silkwood, the Ed Cantrell case (the “old gunfighter”), the Hopkinson murder case (death penalty issues), and the Jody Bonnie case (catastrophe from a drug company’s negligence).
Spence’s strength lies in turning technical legal battles into stories with emotional weight. He does not merely recount facts or legal maneuvers but tries to pull the reader into the lived experience of his clients—fear, desperation, injustice. This gives the book its force and appeal beyond the legal community.
His showmanship and style turned him more into a showman. His courtroom persona—the buckskin jacket, the vivid imagery, the theatrical timing—helps him command attention, connect with juries, evoke emotion. To many, that showmanship is part of his genius; it’s how he cuts through legal formality and appeals directly to the jury’s sense of justice. However, to some judges and juries it became more performance than substance. Ironically, a colleague of mine had a case against him well past his prime and the theatrics became almost comical.
While non-lawyer readers may find the Spence styled interesting and even entertaining for most lawyers it slides into theatrics over substance. The way he frames trials as epic confrontations (“stalking the witness,” fight-to-the-death metaphors) can feel more like literature than law. Though dramatic imagery serves his purpose, it may lead to sensationalizing or simplifying complex legal issues or moral ambiguities. Implicitly, this can leave out the more mundane but critical work of law: cross-examination made of small, precise facts; the slow procedural grind; the imperfections of the legal system.
Gunning for Justice is compelling, often inspiring, and rooted in the grit of actual courtroom experience. For readers interested in law, justice, and the human side of litigation, it offers both dramatic storytelling and moral reflection. It may not satisfy those who want dense legal detail unembellished, but that’s not really its purpose. Its strengths lie in Spence’s passion, moral clarity, narrative flair, and empathy. The showman element is part of the package—and both what makes Spence memorable and what exposes him to criticism.
Quotes:
“When I walk into a courtroom, I am only another hunter, in that dark arena where men are the game and the hunter is also the hunted. I stalk the witness on the witness stand, struggle with my adversary, and at some critical moment it becomes a fight to the death.”
“Here is Spence’s life story, the story of the redemption of a one-time insurance company lawyer who decided to go ‘gunning for justice’ for the average citizen.”
My wife gave this book to me as a newly minted lawyer headed into a big firm practice. She knew my heart was more for the little guy than large corporations but alas student loan debt required stability for our young family. Nonetheless, the book was good for budding defense lawyer.
The book is part memoir, part legal drama: it tells the story of how a small-town Wyoming lawyer grew into one of America’s most celebrated trial attorneys. The arc is compelling. Spence begins his career doing insurance defense, showing up after accidents, halting compensation to the victims. Over time, he becomes disillusioned with defending insurance and commits himself to representing the underdog— “the average citizen”—in high-stakes civil and criminal cases.
From his early years practicing law in Wyoming to his first breakthrough in the Karen Silkwood case (a $10.5 million verdict in 1979 against Kerr-McGee), Spence builds a reputation for fierce advocacy, eloquent storytelling (in court and on paper), and dramatic flair. His cases are not simply legal contests; they are moral dramas in which Spence casts the balance not just between parties, but between values—corporate power vs. individual rights, authority vs. justice. Gunning for Justice covers a fifteen-month span during which Spence tries four high profile cases: Silkwood, the Ed Cantrell case (the “old gunfighter”), the Hopkinson murder case (death penalty issues), and the Jody Bonnie case (catastrophe from a drug company’s negligence).
Spence’s strength lies in turning technical legal battles into stories with emotional weight. He does not merely recount facts or legal maneuvers but tries to pull the reader into the lived experience of his clients—fear, desperation, injustice. This gives the book its force and appeal beyond the legal community.
His showmanship and style turned him more into a showman. His courtroom persona—the buckskin jacket, the vivid imagery, the theatrical timing—helps him command attention, connect with juries, evoke emotion. To many, that showmanship is part of his genius; it’s how he cuts through legal formality and appeals directly to the jury’s sense of justice. However, to some judges and juries it became more performance than substance. Ironically, a colleague of mine had a case against him well past his prime and the theatrics became almost comical.
While non-lawyer readers may find the Spence styled interesting and even entertaining for most lawyers it slides into theatrics over substance. The way he frames trials as epic confrontations (“stalking the witness,” fight-to-the-death metaphors) can feel more like literature than law. Though dramatic imagery serves his purpose, it may lead to sensationalizing or simplifying complex legal issues or moral ambiguities. Implicitly, this can leave out the more mundane but critical work of law: cross-examination made of small, precise facts; the slow procedural grind; the imperfections of the legal system.
Gunning for Justice is compelling, often inspiring, and rooted in the grit of actual courtroom experience. For readers interested in law, justice, and the human side of litigation, it offers both dramatic storytelling and moral reflection. It may not satisfy those who want dense legal detail unembellished, but that’s not really its purpose. Its strengths lie in Spence’s passion, moral clarity, narrative flair, and empathy. The showman element is part of the package—and both what makes Spence memorable and what exposes him to criticism.
Quotes:
“When I walk into a courtroom, I am only another hunter, in that dark arena where men are the game and the hunter is also the hunted. I stalk the witness on the witness stand, struggle with my adversary, and at some critical moment it becomes a fight to the death.”
“Here is Spence’s life story, the story of the redemption of a one-time insurance company lawyer who decided to go ‘gunning for justice’ for the average citizen.”
September 6, 2025
Read this ages ago. He was eclectic but quite an accomplished courtroom lawyer.
August 28, 2016
From its title, Gunning for Justice (Doubleday, 1982), you could assume this book is a wild-ride western with galloping horses, big Stetson hats, and shoot-outs at high noon. I think the author would enjoy that image, for Gerry Spence wears the trappings of the west, lives in Wyoming, and considers his courtroom appearances akin to shoot-outs.
The book is his story of becoming and being a high-profile attorney, and the people who influenced his life. Foremost on that influential list is his father, from whom Gerry learned to read the signs of wildlife, stalk the animals, and shoot them. His skills as a hunter are among those he translates into courtroom strategies. And it is those trial scenes that give this biography its bright moments, in which Spence reveals case preparations, sidebar conferences with judges, and gut feelings about witnesses and juries. Without those courthouse insights, the book would be stultifying for its consistent "see me be wonderful" presentation.
The book is his story of becoming and being a high-profile attorney, and the people who influenced his life. Foremost on that influential list is his father, from whom Gerry learned to read the signs of wildlife, stalk the animals, and shoot them. His skills as a hunter are among those he translates into courtroom strategies. And it is those trial scenes that give this biography its bright moments, in which Spence reveals case preparations, sidebar conferences with judges, and gut feelings about witnesses and juries. Without those courthouse insights, the book would be stultifying for its consistent "see me be wonderful" presentation.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews