Law Firm Overview

The history of the Spencer Law Firm founded in 1975 by Frederick S. "Rick" Spencer, Attorney at law, is brief yet interesting. Certainly the beginnings of the firm varies in comparison to other law firms.

The firm actually began in early 1975 after Rick Spencer traveled from Fayetteville, Arkansas, after graduating with a juris doctorate in law, obtained from the University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Rick Spencer was born in 1947 into a legal family. His father, J. V. Spencer, Jr., was a very successful trial lawyer in the South Arkansas town of El Dorado, Arkansas, having been picked for many years by the Arkansas Gazette as one of the 10 best lawyers in the State of Arkansas. J. V. Spencer, Jr. was born of J. V. Spencer, Sr. who was also a very prominent and successful trial lawyer in south Arkansas. Rick Spencer's grandfather began the first Arkansas Spencer law firm in the town of Strong, Arkansas at the turn of the century after being raised in the town of Spencer, Louisiana, a town still so named after Mr. Spencer's forefathers who homesteaded much of what would later be called Spencer, Louisiana in the early 1800's.

After the Strong, Arkansas tornado in 1916 which totally devastated the town, J. V. Spencer, Sr. moved with his family to the then smaller town of El Dorado, Arkansas right about the time that the oil boom in south Arkansas began in the early twenties. Rick Spencer's father was born in 1920.

After graduating from law school in the early sixties, Rick Spencer's older brother, Jim Spencer, went into the family law firm of Spencer & Spencer in El Dorado, Arkansas, and was a member and later partner of this firm with his father and grandfather. But the younger son, Rick Spencer, rather than becoming a member of the long line of Spencers associated in law firms in south Arkansas and northern Louisiana was enchanted with the north central Arkansas. He felt that he could have more versatility and challenge by beginning a firm on his own after graduation from Law School. When he graduated in 1975, Rick Spencer started the Spencer Law Firm in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

He has served as President of the National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives [i.e. NOSSCR]. He founded and was a Past President of the Arkansas Injured Worker's Association Inc. which later became the Administrative Law Division of the Arkansas Trial Lawyer's Association. And since 1983, he has served as the elected Representative on the Board of Governors of the Arkansas Trial Lawyer's Association. He has also been elected to represent the north central Arkansas area on the Arkansas Bar Association's House of Delegates.

Although Mr. Spencer is a general practitioner, the emphasis of the Spencer Law Firm, which includes an excellent well-trained staff of paralegals, secretaries and investigators, is to help the injured, disabled and those wrongfully injured or killed as a result of negligence or defective products or processes. Mr. Spencer has been very successful in his practice since the firm was established in 1975. But you are invited to read the articles written about him published in the Arkansas Trial Lawyer's Association's magazine, The Docket, as well as read just a few of the articles he has published and make up your own mind independently of what others say. Most importantly, you are invited to read just a few of the Arkansas Supreme Court, Arkansas Court of Appeals, United States District Court and United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals decisions where because of his stubborn refusal to allow what he perceived as an injustice, he has successfully represented his clients on appeal.

Area of Practice:

• Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security income and related claims
• Victims of Toxic Torts
• Workers Compensation Law-Employees injured on the job
• Wrongful Death - Claimants/Plaintiffs Only
• Services to the Legal Community
• Semi/Tractor Trailor/Multiple Vehicular Accidents
• Railroad Accidents - Victims only
• Longshoremen/Maritime/Jones Act cases
• Administrative Law [ERISA, etc.]
• Victims of Civil Rights violations [Age, Sexual, Religious, etc.]
• Election Campaign & Political Law
• Employment Law-Employees Only
• Estate Planning-Wills & Living Trusts & various estate plans to reduce or eliminate expenses or taxes
• Insurance Law - Claims Against Insurance Companies for loss by fire, disability claims, medical, etc.
• Litigation & Appeals for victims, employees and claimants only
• Victims of Medical and Nursing Home Malpractice
• Victims of Personal Injury by Wrongdoers [Motor Vehicle, Explosions, Electrical Injuries, etc.]
• Probate & Estate Administration of Wills of decedents and various types of trusts and wills for estate planning purposes
• Products Liability Law-Victims of Defective Products only
• Victims of Professional Malpractice
• Veteran's Claims [Veteran by law can not be represented by an attorney until right after the veteran has been given a final decision by the Board of Veteran's Appeals right before he files a claim before the Court of Veteran's Appeals].

Areas of Practice

• Admiralty & Maritime Law
• Civil Rights
• Election Campaign & Political Law
• Employment Law -- Employee
• Estate Planning
• Trusts
• Wills
• Social Security -- Disability
• Nursing Home
• Insurance Law
• Litigation & Appeals
• Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
• Probate & Estate Administration
• Products Liability Law
• Professional Malpractice Law
• Medical Malpractice
• Railroad Worker Injury/FELA
• Toxic Torts
• Workers' Compensation Law
• Social Security Disability
• Wrongful Death - Claimants/Plaintiffs
• Semi/Tractor Trailor/Multiple Vehicular Accidents
• Railroad Accidents - Victims Only
• Longshoremen/Maritime/Jones Act Cases
• Administrative Law [ERISA, etc.]
• Victims of Civil Rights Violations
• Victims of Medical and Nursing Home Malpractice
• Victims of Personal Injury
• Victims of Professional Malpractice
• Veteran's Claims

Honors and Awards

• Student Representative and Voting Delegate, Arkansas School of Law, American Bar Association, 1970
• Dean's List, 1974
• Presidents Award, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1988 - 1989
• Rights of Disabled Award, National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives, 1991 - 1992
• Winner, Environmental Law Section Legal Essay Contest, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1974
• Certificate of Recognition, Arkansas Bar Association, 1982
• Who's Who in American Law, 1986
• Who's Who in the South, 1986
• Who's Who in the Southwest, 1986
• Who's Who in America, 1986
• Who's Who in the World, 1986
• Who's Who in the Society, 1986
• Community Leader of America, 1986
• Varsity Swim Team, University of Arkansas Razorbacks, 1967 - 1968
• Unit Representative for Boy Scouts, 1977
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon - Elected Chaplain, 1968
• Alpha Phi Omega - Elected President, 1969
• Eagle Scout Award, 1960
• God and Country Award, 1961

Published Works

• Video Depositions, Social Security Forum, Vol. 5, No. 3, March, 1986
• Video Conferencing in a Large Volume Practice, The Audio Lawyer, May, 1986
• Using Video Tapes: How to Be in Two Places at Once, Trial Magazine, October, 1986

Classes and Seminars

• Conference Program: Social Security Disability Law: A Practical Approach, National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives National Annual Conference, 1983
• Practicalities of a Large-Volume Disability Practice, National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives National Annual Conference, 1983
• The Mechanics and Politics in Filing a Social Security Claim, Taped Interview on Local Television Station, 1983
• Handling a Social Security Disability Claim, Arkansas Volunteer Lawyers for Elderly, Arkansas Legal Services, V.O.C.A.L.S., 1983
• The Rights of the Injured Worker, Taped Interview on Local Television, 1984
• The Purposes and Accomplishments of the Arkansas Injured Worker's Association, Taped Interview on Local Television, 1984
• How to Efficiently Handle a Large-Volume Practice of Social Security Claims, Arkansas Injured Worker's Association, 1985
• Federal Appeals in a Social Security Practice, Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, 1987
• Establishing a Social Security Practice, Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association
• Proposed Legislative Changes in Arkansas Worker's Compensation Law, Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association
• Video Conferencing and Computers in a Social Security Practice, 1987
• Federal Practice and Appeals, Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association Seminar, 1988
• Social Security Practice in Federal Court, Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, 1989
• Technology from a Trial Lawyer's Perspective in the Large Volume Law Office--Stepping Into the 90's, Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, 1989

Pro Bono Activities

• Arkansas Volunteer Lawyers for Elderly, Board of Directors, 1988 - 1995
• Christian Legal Society, 1979 - Present
• Johnson Bros. Christian Youth Ranch, Arkansas Attorney, Board of Directors
• Attorney, Johnson Brother's Christian Youth Ranch
• Advisory Board & Attorney, Christian Broadcasting Group
• Attorney, Mountain Home Baptist Church
• Attorney, Mountain Home Baptist Church
• Leader, Junior High & High School AWANA
• Attorney, Mountain Home Bible Church

Representative Clients

• Cranfield Boat Dock, Inc.
• Tucker Lumber Company, Inc.
• Butler Furniture, Inc.
• Lawless TV Service, Inc.
• Baxter Medical Equipment, Inc.
• Arkansas Institute of Theology
• Christian Broadcasting Group, Inc.

Representative Cases

• Perry v. Mar-Bax Shirt Co., 1982 WL 842 (Ark. App. 1982)
• Caviness v. Massanari, 250 F. 3d 603, 74 Soc. Sec. Rep. Ser. 6 (8th Cir. 2001)
• Taggart v. Heckler, 576 F. Supp. 624, 3 Soc. Sec. Rep. Ser. 863 (W.D. Ark 1984)
• Seawright v. U.S. Fidelity and Guaranty Co., 275 Ark. 96, 627 S.W. 2d 557 (Ark. 1982)
• Franklin v. State, 7 Ark. App. 75, 644 S.W. 2d 318 (Ark. App. 1983)
• Crosby v. Micro Plastics, Inc., 30 Ark. App. 225, 785 S. W. 2d 56 (Ark. App. 1990)
• Rodgers v. Rodgers, 271 Ark. 762, 611 S.W. 2d 175 (Ark. 1981)
• Perry v. Mar-Box Shirt Co., 16 Ark. App. 133, 698 S.W. 2d 302 (Ark. App. 1985)
• Cleaver v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 683 F. Supp. 708, 21 Soc. Sec. Rep. Ser. 600 (E.D. Ark. 1988)
• Aeroquip, Inc. v. Tilley, 59 Ark. App. 163, 954 S.W. 2d 305 (Ark. App. 1997)
• Marion Hosp. Asspn. v. Lamphier, 15 Ark. App. 14, 688 S.W. 2d 322 (Ark. App. 1985)
• Wenrick v. Crater, 325 Ark. 361 878 S.W. 2d 60 (Ark. 1993)
• Edwards v. Szabo Food Service, Inc., 317 Ark. 369, 877. S.W. 2d 932 (Ark. 1994)
• Baker v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 955 F. 2d 552, 36 Soc. Sec. Rep. Ser. 280 (8th Cir.)
• Matthews v. Jefferson, 29 F. Supp. 2d 525 (W.D. Ark. 1998)
• Sanders v. Sullivan, 983 F.2d 822 (8th Cir. 1992)
• Price v. Sullivan, 790 F.Supp. 854 (E.D.Ark. 1992)
• Woods v. Bowen, 854 F.2d 288 (8th Cir. 1988)
• Mitchell v. Bowen, 827 F.2d 387 (8th Cir. 1987)
• Jeffery v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 849 F.2d 1129 (8th Cir. 1988)
• Berry v. Sullivan, 761 F.Supp. 650 (E.D.Ark. 1991)
• Ricketts v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 902 F.2d 661 (8th Cir. 1990)
• Dewitt v. Smith, 152 F.R.D. 162 (W.D.Ark. 1993)
• Curry v. Franklin Court of Appeals of Arkansas Electric, Ark App (798 SW2d 130 1990)

References

• Security Bank of Mountain Home, Arkansas
• First National Bank Trust Company of Mountain Home, Arkansas
• Arkansas Trial Lawyer's Association

West Practice Categories

Administrative Law, Admiralty & Maritime Law, Jones Act, Longshore & Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, Civil Rights, Victims' Rights, Election Campaign & Political Law, Employment Law -- Employee, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) -- Employee, Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills, Social Security -- Disability, Veterans' Affairs, Health & Health Care Law, Nursing Home, Insurance Law, Litigation & Appeals, Personal Injury -- Defense, Personal Injury -- Plaintiff, Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff, Probate & Estate Administration, Products Liability Law, Professional Malpractice Law, Medical Malpractice, Railroad Worker Injury/FELA, Toxic Torts, Transportation Law, Workers' Compensation Law