Spencer P. Hugret is a Partner in GRSM’s San Francisco and Los Angeles offices. Spencer is chair of the firm's Automotive Litigation & Autonomous Vehicles practice group and is the chair of the San Francisco Tort & Product Liability practice group. He is also a member of the firm’s Aviation, Commercial Litigation, Securities Litigation, and Business Transactions Practice Groups.
His multifaceted practice focuses on complex litigation involving products liability in a number of industries, including the automotive industry, aviation accidents, commercial litigation, securities litigation, antitrust litigation, consumer warranty and consumer fraud-based litigation. In such litigation matters, Spencer’s experience relates to not only the handling of such claims, but also significant trial experience in numerous trials to verdict in complex products liability matters, mass torts, class actions, multi-district litigation, business torts, unfair competition, “bet the company” litigation, consumer litigation, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Spencer also regularly handles punitive damages matters and other high exposure claims. Further, Spencer serves as coordinating counsel for a major automotive manufacturer, and he has represented clients throughout the country in defending claims at trial through pro hac vice admissions in other jurisdictions. He has also served as national coordinating counsel for his clients for high exposure defect claims throughout the country on both an individual basis and judicial coordination proceedings in Multi-District Litigation and state court equivalents.
Spencer is also lead trial counsel for two of the "Big Three" automotive manufacturers in high exposure complex automotive product liability matters. In the automotive industry, specifically, Spencer has extensive experience in litigation arising out of numerous injury claims stemming from alleged failure of vehicle safety systems, such as airbag litigation, seatbelt litigation, in addition to experience related to seatback performance, roll overs, roof crush, vehicle dynamics, vehicle fires, crashworthiness and breach of warranty litigation. Spener is also a strategic business partner, assisting his clients with not only litigation matters, but also business operations, corporate strategy, and strategic integration of operations. Towards that end, Spencer frequently assists clients with implementation of new or evolving strategic initiatives, operations and overall strategy to help businesses grow and adapt in the ever- changing legal landscape. His clients include numerous Fortune 100 companies in industries such as automotive, consumer products and aviation, as well as in the financial sector.
Sitting first chair, Spencer has tried to verdict numerous complex and high stakes matters in various jurisdictions. His extensive experience includes not only lead trial counsel work, but also pretrial motions, discovery preparation, depositions, electronic discovery, mediations and expert witness discovery. Spencer has drafted and argued numerous successful dispositive motions on behalf of clients. In addition to his trial experience, he handles the collection, management, production and preservation of electronically stored information for clients engaged in high-stakes litigation, and he is skilled in using many e-discovery software platforms.
Spencer has also represented clients in arbitration proceedings involving banking, financial and securities matters before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), formerly known as the National Association of Securities Dealers (“NASD”) arbitrations. Spencer also represents his clients in AAA arbitrations. In addition, he successfully handled an appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit involving a large international banking corporation.
Prior to becoming a Partner at GRSM, Spencer served as one of the associate representatives to the partnership for both the Los Angeles and San Francisco offices. Every year since 2012, Southern California Super Lawyers magazine has recognized him as a Rising Star in aviation law and business litigation, a distinction awarded to only the top 2.5 percent of young lawyers in Southern California.
Admissions
California
U.S. District Court for the Central, Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts of California
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships
California Bar Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Beverly Hills Bar Association
Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Defense Research Institute (member of the Aviation Committee, Product Liability Committee and Commercial Litigation Committee)
Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)