Gerry Spence Method

What Gerry Spence Method does

Gerry Spence Method is a private trial advocacy education organization founded in 1994 by legendary trial lawyer Gerry Spence at Thunderhead Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming. The company teaches a proprietary methodology (the Spence Method) that integrates psychodrama, role reversal, storytelling, and personal exploration techniques to train trial lawyers in emotionally connecting with juries across voir dire, opening statements, examination, and closing arguments. The core product is the GSM 3-Week Program, a 21-day residential immersion at Thunderhead Ranch priced at $12,500 in 2025 and $15,000 in 2026, supplemented by the 8-day GSM Advanced Trial Skills Training ($7,500) for alumni and the On the Road Program ($3,500) delivered at off-site venues such as Carlsbad, California.

The underlying technology is the proprietary Spence Method itself rather than software: psychodramatic directing techniques (role reversal, doubling, chair back, soliloquy, empty chair, magic mirror), real juror mock trial simulations, and a curriculum covering jury selection through closing argument. The business model is professional services revenue from per-seat tuition, distributed through direct website enrollment, organic search, alumni referrals, and content marketing (video library, social media, email newsletter). The customer base is U.S. trial lawyers, primarily plaintiff personal injury and criminal defense practitioners, with 1,000+ alumni, 30+ volunteer faculty, and a faculty roster of record-setting verdict earners. The organization is privately held with no disclosed funding, no parent company, and operating status confirmed through 2026/2027 program dates. Gerry Spence died in 2026 at age 96, and the organization continues under existing leadership (President John Zelbst; VP and Chief Instructor Joseph H. Low IV).

Name

Gerry Spence Method

Legal name

Gerry Spence Method

Website

https://gerryspencemethod.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gerry Spence Method is a private trial advocacy education organization that teaches a proprietary psychodrama- and storytelling-based methodology to U.S. trial lawyers through a 21-day residential program at Thunderhead Ranch in Wyoming, an 8-day advanced training, and an off-site workshop series.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubois

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 3-Week Training Program: Immersive 21-day residential training program at Thunderhead Ranch covering trial advocacy skills, jury selection, storytelling, and psychodrama techniques. Revenue generated from program fees including education and accommodations.
2. Advanced Trial Skills Training: 8-day advanced graduate-level program for alumni of the 3-week program, focusing on advanced jury selection, expert witness management, and refined courtroom techniques.
3. On the Road Program: Multi-day workshop bringing Thunderhead Ranch methodology to off-site locations, providing accessible training without ranch travel requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gerry Spence Method is a private legal education institution that teaches trial lawyers advanced advocacy techniques rooted in storytelling, human connection, and persuasion. Founded in 1994 by legendary trial lawyer Gerry Spence at Thunderhead Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming, the organization runs intensive in-person workshops where lawyers learn by conducting full mock trials. Its flagship is a three-week immersive program complemented by shorter advanced and on-the-road courses.

Product overview

Gerry Spence Method is a legal training organization offering a multi-tiered program portfolio centered on the Spence Method—a trial advocacy methodology emphasizing psychodrama, storytelling, and personal connection with juries. The core offering is the GSM 3-Week Program at Thunderhead Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming, a 21-day intensive course teaching trial skills through self-discovery and universal storytelling. This is supplemented by the GSM Advanced Trial Skills Training, an 8-day graduate-level program featuring real juror simulations, and the On the Road Program, which delivers workshop-format training at locations like Carlsbad, California. Together, these programs form a comprehensive progression from foundational training to advanced mastery for trial lawyers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GSM 3-Week Program A 21-day immersive trial advocacy training program held at Thunderhead Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming, where trial lawyers learn storytelling, persuasion, and human-centered advocacy through full mock trials. Priced at $12,500 for 2025 and $15,000 for 2026.
• GSM Advanced Trial Skills Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Program graduates achieve record-setting verdicts including $82.5M verdict (Rob Ammons), $91M verdict (Eric Fong), $70.5M verdict (Joseph Low)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AAJ Education (American Association for Justice): AAJ Education provides trial skills training and CLE to plaintiff trial lawyers as part of the larger American Association for Justice. It serves a similar customer base (plaintiff attorneys) but operates as part of a broad trade association rather than a focused training brand.
• Practising Law Institute (PLI): PLI is a much larger legal professional education provider offering CLE across many practice areas including trial skills. It is comparable as a destination for attorney professional development but with a much broader scope and online-first delivery model.

Others

• DecisionQuest: DecisionQuest provides mock trials, jury research, and trial consulting services to attorneys preparing for trial. It is comparable as a service provider in the trial-lawyer ecosystem, even though it does not deliver formal training programs like GSM.
• Persuadius: Persuadius provides trial presentation and visual consulting services to litigators. It is an adjacent service provider in the trial-lawyer ecosystem, focused on courtroom persuasion tools that complement GSM's storytelling methodology.
• Keenan Trial Consulting: Keenan Trial Consulting provides jury research, mock trials, and witness preparation services to trial attorneys. It is an adjacent service provider to trial lawyers that complements (rather than competes with) GSM's training programs.

Direct peers

• National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA): NITA is the most direct peer to GSM, offering trial advocacy training programs (public and client-specific) for lawyers with a similar focus on practical courtroom skills. Both serve practicing trial attorneys seeking advanced trial techniques through experiential learning formats.
• National Criminal Defense College: NCDC provides intensive summer trial skills programs for criminal defense lawyers, directly overlapping with GSM's criminal defense segment. Both use multi-day, immersive formats focused on practical courtroom advocacy for defense practitioners.
• Loyola University Chicago - Center for Advocacy: Loyola Chicago's trial advocacy programs train law students and lawyers in courtroom skills, including intensive trial advocacy institutes. It is comparable in offering hands-on, experiential trial skills training to legal professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgrYXB5XeuhdlLsU6Sumxow
• Facebookfacebook.com/GerrySpenceMethod
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gerry-spence-method
• Instagraminstagram.com/gerryspencemethod

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gerry Spence Method