Mel Orchard is a partner at The Spence Law Firm, LLC in Wyoming. Mel has litigated and/or tried hundreds of cases in his career and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in settlement and verdicts for his clients. During his trial career, Mel has been a part of record-breaking civil jury verdicts in various jurisdictions (Wyoming, Arizona, and Iowa). He specializes in car crashes, premises, construction, products, med mal, and nursing home cases. 

Mel has also devoted significant time to pro bono work through Lawyers and Advocates for Wyoming, and many local and national charities. In addition to preparing for trial or being in trial, Mel also lectures and presents to various legal organizations throughout the country including Bar Associations, Leadership Organizations, and has taught Judicial Ethics to various groups of judges. He is the past Chairman of the Wyoming Commission for Judicial Conduct and Ethics where he served as a member for six years after appointment. Mel holds jury trial records in multiple states. He is also an actor having spent considerable time as a young man on the stage.

Finally, Mel is a teacher. He spent more than 15 years as a part of the Trial Lawyer’s College creating and learning and teaching hungry trial lawyers. Mel believes that changing this world one client at a time takes time. Arming trial lawyers means change is exponential.  As Trial School Faculty, Mel hopes members gain courage, hope, understanding, and humility from his knowledge and expertise.

Mel is a member of the Trial School Faculty Advisory Board.