Russell “Mick” Spence

Russell “Mick” Spence is a Minneapolis attorney with The Spence Law Firm whose practice centers on entertainment, business, litigation, and intellectual property matters. He represents creative professionals, entrepreneurs, and business clients in disputes and transactions involving copyrights, trademarks, patents, contracts, licensing, trade secrets, music, film, art, and sports. His work combines counseling on commercial relationships with litigation when ownership, contract rights, intellectual property, business interests, or valuable creative assets are disputed.

Mick earned his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law in 1993 and received his B.S. from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business in 1988, with a background in entrepreneurship and business administration. He was admitted in Minnesota in 1993 and later to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. His business education and legal training provide a practical foundation for advising clients whose creative work often carries significant contractual, ownership, licensing, and commercial implications.

Mick’s litigation experience includes shareholder and partnership disputes, copyright and trademark infringement actions, patent disputes, trade secret protection, fraud, breach of contract, unfair competition, class actions, and estate or probate disputes. His entertainment work also involves business assets, acquisitions, licensing arrangements, talent and executive matters, and career-related legal issues. He has taught courses involving copyright, contracts, and music publishing and has written and spoken on entertainment and business law topics, reflecting a practice closely connected to creative industries.

Russell “Mick” Spence brings together business knowledge, litigation experience, and intellectual property work for clients operating where creativity and commerce intersect. He helps clients protect rights, negotiate agreements, resolve business conflicts, and respond when disputes threaten valuable assets or professional relationships. His broad experience with entertainment, intellectual property, and commercial matters allows him to address both preventive legal planning and contested proceedings, with an emphasis on practical strategies suited to the client’s business and creative goals.

Law Office Affiliations

• Managing Partner, The Spence Law Firm, LLC
• Former Chair of the Art & Entertainment Law Section and Chair, Music Law Committee, Minnesota State Bar Association
• Member, The State Bar of California
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Member, The Florida Bar
• Member, Ohio State Bar Association
• Member, Utah State Bar
• Member, Virginia State Bar
• Former Chair, Art & Entertainment Committee of the Young Lawyer’s Division, American Bar Association
• President, Minnesota Music Academy
• Former Board Member, Tangletown Neighborhood Association
• President, Board Member, Grade Coordinator and Coach, Edina Football Association
• Board Member, World Voices
• Member, ABA Forum on Entertainment and Sports Industries
• Appointed Member, Minneapolis Arts Commission
• Member, National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences
• Head Usher, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

Licensed State

• Minnesota
• California
• New York
• Florida
• Ohio
• Utah
• Virginia

Education

• University of Southern California
  Bachelor of Science (BS) in Entrepreneurial Business

Awards & Badges