Gerry Spence Gave Legal Birth to Spencer Aronfeld!

But where's the birth certificate:

Aronfeld is also a graduate of the Trial Lawyer's College, a not-for-profit institution created by legendary trial lawyer, Gerry Spence. "I spent a month in Gerry's barn in Wyoming with other lawyers learning how to represent people against big businesses," Aronfeld says.

Spence became a huge influence in Aronfeld's life and career and even hired Aronfeld to travel around the country with him on several of his book tours.

"I credit him with my career, my book and my practice," Aronfeld says. "Gerry taught me to be me. He gets a lot of people trying to be him. I'm not him. I am authentically myself."

According to Spence, the respect and appreciation is mutual. He recalls Aronfeld as a promising new lawyer. "He was young. He was adventurous. He wanted to know what was going on in the world," Spence says. "He was intelligent. He seemed to care about people."

Spence has enjoyed watching Aronfeld grow as a person and as a businessman over the years. "He has very good business judgment. He has made himself available to many different kinds of people. He has grown as a person and as a lawyer," he says. "It's very satisfying to have one of your children succeed."

I kid Spence (a lot) but this is a fantastic overview of his career and a well-deserved honor -- just don't let him hold any sharp knives at the banquet.