Professor Spencer Pahlke

Trial Lawyer

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly, & Schoenberger

Spencer’s practice focuses on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases involving defective medical devices, vehicular collisions, dangerous conditions of public and private property, and medical malpractice.

Outside of his practice at Walkup, he also teaches at the University of California-Berkeley Law School (Boalt Hall) as a lecturer in trial advocacy.

In addition to his teaching, he directs Berkeley Law’s external trial competition program and coaches multiple trial advocacy teams. Under Spencer’s guidance, the program has risen to national prominence, having won many national honors and distinctions, including several national championships.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Personal Injury
Wrongful Death
Defective Medical Devices
Vehicular Collisions
Public and Private Property
Medical Malpractice

EDUCATION

University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, Berkeley, California
- J.D. – 2007
- Honors: Awarded Legal Ethics and in Environmental Law
- Law Review: California Law Review, Member
- Law Review: Ecology Law Quarterly, Associate Editor
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- B.A. – 2004
- Honors: Highest Distinction
- Major: Economics and Psychology
- Minor: English and Communications

Classes/Seminars
Lecturer, Trial Advocacy, the University of California-Berkeley Law School (Boalt Hall)
Teacher, Berkeley Law’s External Trial Competition Program
Guest Lecturer, Trial Advocacy, the University of Michigan Law School
Guest Lecturer, Personal Injury Practice, San Francisco State University
Guest Lecturer, Personal Injury Practice, Universidad de Monterrey (Mexico)

Spencer is also a recipient of the Edward D. Ohlbaum Professionalism Award, an award designed to recognize a trial advocacy teacher and program director who exemplifies the late Professor Ohlbaum’s commitment professionalism, integrity, and honed proficiency. The award honors an individual whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity.

Spencer has also taught and lectured on trial advocacy and tort law at institutions including the University of Michigan School of Law, Universidad de Monterrey (Mexico), San Francisco State University, and UC Berkeley. Spencer has also been an invited lecturer at Baylor University’s prestigious School of the Trial, hosted annually in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Spencer has also provided ongoing legal education, including developing and co-chairing programs produced in conjunction with Berkeley Law, with a special focus on providing training to young attorneys. He has also co-chaired a presentation on governmental liability and design immunity, spoke to leading trial associations regarding governmental liability, made presentations on liability for commercial carriers, and lectured on the topic of liability insurance in the context of products liability.

Spencer was selected as a Super Lawyer from 2013-2019, and before that was Rising Star in 2011 and 2012. In 2014-2019, he was listed by Best Lawyers.

After graduating with Highest Distinction from the University of Nebraska with a double major in Economics and Psychology, Spencer attended law school at Berkeley Law, receiving his J.D. in 2007. At Berkeley, Spencer was a member of the California Law Review as well as an associate editor for Ecology Law Quarterly. Academically, he won Prosser Awards in Legal Ethics and in Environmental Law.

Spencer’s main interest in law school was trial advocacy, both in Berkeley Law’s competitive trial advocacy program and its clinical programs. Clinically, he tried cases before Oakland’s Citizen’s Police Review Board. There, his responsibilities included representing people claiming violations of their constitutional rights at the hands of the Oakland Police Department. He successfully competed on several trial teams. He won the Bay Area trial competition held by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. Additionally, in the National Trial Competition, his three-person team was a regional finalist, and he won two top advocate awards.

Spencer joined the Walkup firm in 2007, and practices all types of personal injury litigation in all courts within the State of California.

Updated Results

Family v Farming Trust / Manufacturer, $20,000,000
Baby v. Major Institution – Medical Malpractice Settlement in excess of $10,000,000
Bicyclist v. Food Delivery Company / Taxi Company – Vehicular Negligence, $6,010,000 Settlement
Family v. Valet Company – Vehicular Negligence, $6,000,000 Settlement
Patient v. Hospitalist / Hospital – Medical Malpractice, $5,000,000 Settlement
Snowboarder v. Equipment Manufacturer – Products Liability, $4,500,000 settlement
Pedestrian v. City and County of San Francisco – Public Transit Negligence, $3,250,000 Settlement
Patient v. ER Doctor / Hospital – Medical Malpractice, $3,000,000 Settlement
Disabled Student v. School District / Driver – Disability Rights / Vehicular Negligence, $2,975,000 Settlement
Insured v. Insurance Carrier – Underinsured Motorist, $2,250,000
Cable Car Passenger v. City and County of San Francisco – Negligent Operation of Cable Car, $2,026,000 Settlement
Adult Daughter v. Heavy Equipment Company – Vehicular Negligence, $2,000,000
Patient v. Cardiologist – Medical Malpractice, $1,999,900 Settlement
Family v. SUV Driver – Wrongful Death / Vehicular Negligence, $1,500,000 Settlement
Wife / Children v. HMO – Medical Malpractice, $1,400,000 Settlement
Pedestrian v. Driver – Vehicular Negligence, $1,000,000 settlement
Scooter Driver v. Cab Company – Vehicular Negligence, $1,000,000
Chu v. Bay Area Community Services, Inc. – Premises Liability – Negligent Supervision, $996,000 Verdict
Insured v. Major Insurance Company – Insurance Bad Faith, $975,000 Settlement
Pedestrians v. Uninsured Motorist – Vehicular Negligence, $970,000 Settlement
Child v. Doctor – Medical Malpractice, $965,000 Settlement
Pedestrian v. South Bay City – Dangerous Condition of Public Property, $875,000 Settlement
Wife / Children v. HMO – Medical Malpractice, $850,000 Settlement
Cyclist v. Driver’s Employer – Vehicular Negligence, $750,000 Settlement
Pedestrian v. Driver – Vehicular Negligence – Underinsured Motorist, $555,000 Settlement
Patient v. Surgeon – Medical Malpractice, $500,606.36 Settlement
Family v. HMO – Medical Negligence – Surgical Error – Wrongful Death, $475,000 Settlement
Adult Children v. Pilot / Owner of Plane – Aviation Crash Litigation, $425,000 Settlement
Insured v. Mercury Insurance – Underinsured Motorist, $421,000 Arbitration Award
Grandparent v. Youth Camp – Premises Liability, $400,000 Settlement
Pedestrian v. Cab Company – Vehicular Negligence, $350,000 Settlement
Motorcyclist v. Driver – Vehicular Negligence, $350,000 Settlement
Bicyclist v. Driver – Vehicular Negligence, $325,000 settlement
Passenger v. Driver – Vehicular Negligence – Read-End Collision, $325,000 Settlement
Customer v. Massage Therapist – General Negligence, $300,000 Settlement
Bicyclist v. Driver – Vehicular Negligence / Underinsured Motorist Liability, $300,000 settlement
Passenger v. Cab Company – Vehicular Negligence – Common Carrier, $300,000
Pedestrian v. San Diego – Mass Transit Public Transit Negligence, $300,000
Cyclist v. SUV Driver – Vehicular Negligence, $300,000 Settlement
Pedestrian v. CCSF – Dangerous Condition of Public Property, $270,000
Passenger v. MUNI – Governmental Liability, $250,000 Settlement
Driver v. Driver – Vehicular Negligence – Underinsured Motorist, $250,000
Bicyclist v. Driver – Vehicular Negligence, $250,000 Settlement