John E. Spalding

Principal

Overview

John E. Spalding is a principal in the Houston office at Germer. He has been practicing law for almost forty years. He has defended thousands of cases and tried over fifty defense cases to successful jury verdicts. He has also handled dozens of plaintiffs’ cases and tried two plaintiffs’ cases to successful jury verdicts. He has been involved in mass tort litigation , high exposure medical malpractice cases , handling negative media, products liability , pharmaceutical products liability, construction , insurance coverage and commercial litigation .

Practice Areas

Civil LitigationClass and Collective ActionsCommercial LitigationConstruction LawEmployment LawHealth LawInsurance LawMediation and ArbitrationMedical MalpracticePersonal Injury DefensePremises LiabilityProducts LiabilityProfessional Malpractice DefenseTortsToxic Torts and Chemical ExposureTransportation and Trucking Litigation

Professional Background

  • Joined Germer in 2025
  • Previous firms include
    • Lewis Brisbois, Bisgaard and Smith, LLP
    • Johnson, Spalding, Doyle West & Trent, LLP
    • McFall & Sartwelle, LLC
    • Andrews & Kurth, LLP

Bar Admissions

  • State Bar of Texas – 1986
  • Admitted to practice before the following courts:
    • The Supreme Court of the United States of America
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
    • United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western
    • Districts of Texas
    • Texas state courts

Professional Certifications

  • American Board of Trial Advocates

Education

  • Baylor University School of Law
    • Juris Doctor 1986
    • Phi Delta Phi legal honor society
  • Undergrad, e.g., Baylor University
    • Bachelor of Arts/Business 1983

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

  • State Bar of Texas Member of a Grievance Committee from 1994-99

Representative Experience

  • In Bado Equipment Company, Inc. v. Bethlehem Steel Corp. 814 S.W.2d 464 Tex. App. (Hou. 14th), John obtained a summary judgment on a secured transaction issue for Bethlehem Steel and had it affirmed on appeal.
  • In Petroleo Brasileiro, S.A. v. Atwood Turnkey Drilling, Inc. et al, 875 F. 2d 1174 (5th Cir. 1989), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 1075, 110 S. Ct. 1124 (1990) we obtained jurisdiction over a Brazilian entity that was affirmed by the United States District Court Fifth Circuit and writ denied by The Supreme Court of the United States.
  • John represented a psychiatrist who treated Andrea Yates, worked with the Bush family around the 2004 election and defended a liposuction death case where his trial consultant was Dr. Phil McGraw.
  • John also won a two-week trial for a medical center in West Texas that had settled every case filed against it for over forty years before our trial.

Civic Involvement

  • John has been involved in many charitable organizations in Houston and served on the Associate Vestry and Stewardship Committee of St. John the Divine.

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