Justin Spearman

Justin Spearman is a Partner and trial attorney at Bordin | Semmer, who zealously represents his clients’ interests. Mr. Spearman specializes in providing an aggressive and effective defense for his clients in cases involving catastrophic personal injuries or wrongful death. Mr. Spearman has extensive experience representing defendants, including public entities, individuals, and commercial businesses, with a focus on matters involving allegations of negligence and dangerous conditions of public property where the potential exposure is substantial. Mr. Spearman’s clients are his top priority, and he prides himself on providing consistent and timely updates and always being a phone call, text or email away.

Mr. Spearman leverages his experience and skill with the abundant resources available to thoroughly investigate and successfully defend against any injury case and achieve the best possible outcome for his clients. Mr. Spearman utilizes his unique background and skillset to help his clients maximize their goals and facilitate optimal outcomes in litigation. Mr. Spearman provides reasoned analysis to his clients and provides accurate recommendations to suit each clients’ needs. As a result of Mr. Spearman’s aggressive, client-centric approach, he regularly obtains favorable results.

Mr. Spearman has a proven track record of success, from favorable settlements to defense verdicts at trial. Mr. Spearman has negotiated countless favorable settlements, either through mediation or informal negotiation. To facilitate favorable settlements, Mr. Spearman takes effective depositions and prepares persuasive mediation briefs highlighting the favorable testimony and evidence. Mediators frequently praise the thoroughness and clarity of the mediation briefs that Mr. Spearman authors.

Mr. Spearman has also obtained numerous victories via dispositive motion (i.e., Motions for Summary Judgment, Motions for Judgment on the Pleadings, etc.), particularly in cases involving public entities. Given his knowledge and experience in defending public entities, Mr. Spearman is able to routinely extricate his clients by way of summary judgment. Mr. Spearman utilizes his institutional knowledge to elicit favorable facts and evidence to establish the various affirmative defenses available to public entities, including design immunity, lack of notice and lack of ownership/control. Once established, Mr. Spearman utilizes the favorable evidence to craft a persuasive dispositive motion.

When a favorable settlement is not feasible and a case is not ripe for dispositive motion, Mr. Spearman effectively takes cases to trial. Mr. Spearman has tried numerous cases to jury verdict, including recently obtaining a complete defense verdict on behalf of a public entity in a case where the plaintiffs’ attorney asked the jury for a seven-figure verdict. Mr. Spearman has facilitated favorable results in multiple cases where Bordin | Semmer has been brought on as trial counsel shortly before trial is set to commence.

Mr. Spearman stays updated on current litigation trends, including juror psychology and plaintiff trial strategies, to stay ahead of the curve and to provide the best representation for his clients. Over the past two years alone, Mr. Spearman has personally saved his clients $211,103,857.00. Some of Mr. Spearman’s more recent successes include:

• Defense verdict at jury trial on behalf of a Southern California city in a matter involving a toddler choking due to an alleged dangerous condition of public property;
• Favorable jury verdict on behalf of a commercial trucking company in an admitted liability, truck versus motorcycle collision where the plaintiffs’ attorney asked the jury for $25 million;
• Summary Judgment, which was upheld on appeal, on behalf of a Southern California city in a wrongful death drowning matter with allegations of dangerous condition of public property;
• Summary Judgment, which was upheld on appeal, on behalf of a Southern California school district in a catastrophic injury matter with allegations of dangerous condition of public property;
• Summary Judgment on behalf of a Southern California school district in a school bullying and physical altercation matter with allegations of negligent supervision;
• Dismissal of a Southern California city for waiver of costs (i.e., no monies paid) in a matter involving a rollover motor vehicle collision and serious injuries pursuant to our aggressive discovery approach and motion practice.

Mr. Spearman has been routinely recognized by his peers for his achievements and legal acumen. Of note, Super Lawyers, an organization that utilizes a comprehensive, independently peer-reviewed selection process to recognize outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, has selected Mr. Spearman as a “Super Lawyer – Rising Star” for five straight years (between 2019 to present), a recognition provided to only 2.5% of attorneys.

Mr. Spearman is admitted to practice law in the state of California. Mr. Spearman is also admitted to practice law in the United States District Court for the Central District, Eastern District, Northern District and Southern District of California. Mr. Spearman obtained his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Oregon, and his Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School.