KEN SPEARS
PARTNER
PRACTICE AREAS
Toxic Tort, Civil Litigation, Employment Law, Property Law, Insurance Defense Litigation
EDUCATION
University of Louisiana at Lafayette (B.A., 1969) Louisiana State University (J.D., 1972)
ADMISSIONS
State Bar of Louisiana
State Bar of Texas
United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
United States District Courts for the Western, Eastern, and Middle District of Louisiana
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
AFFILIATIONS & HONORS
Kiwanis Club, Past President
Louisiana State Bar Association, Member
Texas State Bar, Member
Southwest Louisiana Bar Association, Member
Southwest Association of Defense Counsel, Member
Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow
Trial Law Institute, Member
Diversity Law Institute, Member
BACKGROUND
Kenneth Spears, Managing Partner at Spears & Gary, LLC, concentrates his practice in complex toxic tort litigation, pipeline/electrical utility, and employment law. He graduated from the LSU School of Law in 1972, and has 49 years of experience handling complex litigation. He has counseled plant managers, law enforcement agencies, oil and chemical companies. Kenneth has tried “first chair” jury trials in state and federal courts throughout the state of Louisiana and he has successfully mediated hundreds of cases, both big and small. Kenneth has received an “AV Preeminent” attorney peer rating for the Highest Level of Professional Excellence by Martindale-Hubbell for nearly 40 years. He has also appeared in the “Louisiana Super Lawyers” since its inaugural issue in 2007.
CLAUDIA H. GARY
PARTNER
PRACTICE AREAS
Toxic Tort, Contract Law, Sports Law, Premise Liability, Product Liability, Civil Litigation
EDUCATION
Tulane University School of Law (J.D. 1993)
Tulane University (B.A., Biology, With Highest Honors, 1990)
ADMISSIONS
Louisiana State Bar
United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
AFFILIATIONS & HONORS
American Bar Association, member
Louisiana Bar Association, member
Southwest Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, member
JDRF Diabetes Foundation, member
BACKGROUND
Claudia H. Gary is a partner at Spears & Gary, LLC, where she concentrates her practice in toxic tort defense, employment law and sports litigation. Prior to forming Spears & Gary, LLC, Gary was an associate at Swift, Spears & Harper and the Jones, Tete firm, both located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Gary graduated from Tulane University in three years with a biology degree and attended law school at the Tulane University School of Law, obtaining her bar admission in 1993.
Claudia Gary has spent her nearly thirty years of legal experience representing some of the nations largest oil and gas companies in both premise and product related toxic tort work. She also has successfully handled a variety of both employment and sports law/contractual litigation.
JEFFERY D. FRUGE
ASSOCIATE
PRACTICE AREAS
Toxic Tort, Premise Liability, Civil Litigation, Insurance Defense Litigation, Personal Injury Defense
EDUCATION
McNeese State University (B.A., 2006)
Tulane University School of Law (J.D., 2009)
ADMISSIONS
State Bar of Louisiana
United States District Courts for the Western, Eastern, and Middle District of Louisiana
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
AFFILIATIONS & HONORS
Louisiana State Bar Association, Member
Southwest Louisiana Bar Association, Member
Southwest Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, Member
American Bar Association, Member
BACKGROUND
Jeffery Fruge graduated from McNeese State University in 2006 with a B.A. in Liberal Studies, where he was the Vice-President of the Pre-Law Society. He graduated from Tulane University School of Law in 2009, with a Civil Law certificate. He was admitted to the bar in 2009. Prior to joining Spears & Gary, LLC in 2016, Fruge was an associate at the Woodley, Williams law firm and at the Frohn & Thibodeaux law firm. His practice is focused on personal injury defense and toxic tort defense.
