Spencer provides strategic counsel and communications support to U.S. and international companies across industries in a broad range of special situations, crises and high-profile events. His areas of expertise include:

Crisis Management and Litigation Support

He has experience supporting clients with crisis preparedness and responses related to a range of issues including litigation, reputational concerns, misconduct allegations, criminal actions, ethical violations, unplanned management changes, short attacks, cybersecurity incidents, government and regulatory investigations and actions, product liability and recalls, restatements and/or accounting fraud and workplace violence.

Mergers & Acquisitions

He advises companies in friendly and unsolicited transactions. Select assignments include advising Maxar’s pending acquisition by Advent International, SWM’s merger with Neenah, Cimarex’s merger with Cabot Oil & Gas, Salesforce’s acquisition of Slack, Concho’s acquisition by ConocoPhillips, SiriusXM’s acquisitions of Stitcher and Simplecast, Tops Markets’ merger with Price Chopper/Market 32, Fiserv’s merger with First Data, Bristol Myer Squibb’s acquisition of Celgene, Callon Petroleum’s acquisition of Carrizo Oil & Gas, WESCO International’s acquisition of Anixter International, Aon’s terminated merger with Willis Towers Watson, Newmont Mining’s acquisition of Goldcorp and its hostile defense against and subsequent announcement of a new joint venture with Barrick Gold, Anadarko Petroleum’s merger with Occidental Petroleum Corporation, and Paine Schwartz Partners in a number of portfolio company transactions.

Restructuring & Bankruptcy

He advises companies involved in out-of-court financial restructurings and in-court Chapters 7, 11, 13 and CCAA reorganizations. Select assignments include: FTX, Mallinckrodt, Pet Valu, Covia, Mood Media, Packable, SGS & Co, and LSC Communications, among others.

Shareholder Activism

He has supported companies in public and private activist situations opposite activist investors including Starboard Value, Elliott Management, Trian Partners, JANA Partners, Third Point Management, Carl Icahn and Hudson Executive Capital, among others. Notable public assignments include Janus Henderson Group, eBay, Humana, Crown Castle, Papa John’s, eHealth, and Commvault, along with Bombardier in a unique debtholder activist situation.

Public Listings

He has experience advising companies on publicly listing including Lyft, Luckin Coffee, Warby Parker, Benson Hill and Proterra, among others.

Executive Media and Presentation Training

He works with leading industry executives, preparing them for a variety of virtual and in-person settings so that they can deliver a company story more effectively, strategically engage with the media, deliver dynamic presentations and handle the toughest of questions.

Spencer joined Joele Frank in 2018, having previously worked as a litigator with a general corporate practice. He received a BA from Western University and a JD from the University of Calgary, where, as a member of the National Championship winning team, he represented Canada at the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, placing 15^th in the world out of more than 400 competitors.