Jeff Spears

Jeff Spears is Certified Mediator in the State of Texas, with a Juris Doctor and an LLM with an emphasis in International & Operational Law.  As a former trial lawyer, and later as a negotiator focused on resolving large, often international disputes with foreign entities and companies, he is passionate about the use of all forms of alternate dispute resolution to resolve matters ahead of costly litigation.  In commercial disputes, he works hard to understand the driving concerns and practical limitations of the parties in an effort to find a sweet spot in which to work a deal. Further, his extensive corporate business experience that involved both negotiating large international transactions, and the resolution of commercial, international, injury and aviation related disputes, brings a business person’s experience to the resolution of disputes. This background has helped to a refine a creative approach to dispute resolution that is informed by a business and financial understanding that can help the parties find a suitable resolution.  Because of the niche nature of some of his areas of experience, he will accept worldwide assignments as a mediator.   

Spears worked ten years for L-3 Communications Corporation in a variety of assignments in Virginia and Texas to include as a Group Vice President & Senior Counsel of the L-3 Services Group, and Division and Sector Vice President of Legal & Contracts responsible for legal, contractual and international compliance programs to include anti-corruption, ethics and export compliances, and internal investigations.  In these positions, Spears lead several hundred negotiations and mediations involving complex commercial, employment, contracting to include construction and government contracting, aviation integration and incident matters.    

Spears has more than 20 years of experience working with foreign companies, governments and their personnel.  This experience includes service as the International Military Student Office (IMSO) liaison for the Judge Advocate General Corp responsible the oversight of IMSO related activities at the Judge Advocates General School. He also has more than 10 years of experience training foreign government officials and private attorneys on a variety of subjects related to anti-corruption policies and procedures, international law, comparative law, and matters related to the establishment of cross border registered entities and expat and local national employment strategies.

Spears was awarded a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Centre College of Kentucky, a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law, and received the highest marks in the International Operational Law LLM program at the Judge Advocate General’s School located at the University of Virginia law campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

L-3 Communications Corporation  October 2005 to June 2015

(Various Assignments)

Served in positions of increasing responsibility at Division, Sector & Group levels within L-3 Communications.  Assignments included: Group, Sector and Division level Vice President of Legal, and Sector and Division Vice President of Legal & Contracts.

• Oversaw the management of international registration related compliance activities for approximately 65 countries in all regions of the globe
• Conducted sensitive internal investigations
• Managed a division level ethics and compliance program that included ITARs, FCPA, British Anti-bribery compliance, anti-corruption programs, and, DODI 3020.41 and FAR related compliances
• Conducted sensitive internal investigations including those at the direction of the Board of Directors
• Representing the company before courts, mediations, an international tribunal and federal agency investigators
• Prepped and represented key company personnel before Congress on matters related to contractors on the battlefield
• Served as lead negotiator at several international negotiations involving large programs for foreign governments
• Led successful efforts to obtain US Embassy support for several foreign pursuits and the development of novel “1206 pursuit strategy” that resulted in the award of an international “pseudo FMS” case

United States Regular Army, Judge Advocate January 1994 to July 2005  

Assignments included:

• Chief, Fort Lee Area Claims Office (Tort) & General Counsel, Kenner Army Community Hospital
• Chief, USA Trial Defense Service, Fort Lee, Virginia
• Detail to the US Attorney’s Office in Richmond, Virginia as a Special Assistant United States Attorney (Civil & Criminal)
• The Post Judge Advocate, The Judge Advocate’s General School
• LLM Program
• Chief of International & Operational Law, Fort Hood, Texas
• Chief of International Law, Task Force Baghdad including service with the Regime Crimes Liaison Office and as Team Chief, Law & Economics for the CPA/US Embassy, Baghdad, Governorate Support Team (GST)

EDUCATION

Masters of Legal Letters (LLM), International & Operational Law 2003

The Judge Advocate General’s School, UVA Law Campus, Charlottesville, Virginia

• Commandant’s List (Top 10%)
• Top Grade in International Law Specialty
• Highest marks for Thesis Defense
• Second Highest Thesis Score
• Published

Juris Doctor, University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, Kentucky 1993

• Articles Editor, Kentucky Law Journal
• Moot Court Board Member
• Published

Bachelors of Economics, Centre College of Kentucky 1990

• Minor in English
• ROTC Full Scholarship Recipient

SELECTION OF ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT TRAINING

Mediation Certification Training, 2015

ABA International Law Conference, 2015

International Business Conference (US Commercial Attaché), 2014

International Arbitration Training, 2012

Methods of Analysis (Intelligence), 2010

L-3 Export Compliance Training Program, 2010 & 2011

L-3 FCPA Training Program, 2009

L-3 Ethics Officer Training (Also Presenter), 2008, 2010

International Trademark Association Training, 2005

American Society of International Law Convention, 2004

Civil Military Operations/Counterinsurgency Workshop, 2003

Methods of Instruction for ABA Law School Instructors, 1999

Law of Armed Conflict Course, 1999

Trial Advocacy Training Program, 1995

Government Contracts Course, US Army, 1994, 2003

AWARDS & DECORATIONS

US Attorney’s Award for Public Service

Bronze Star Medal

Meritorious Service Medal (4)

Army Commendation Medal

Army Achievement Medal

Iraq Campaign Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

National Defense Service Medal

Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal

CIVIC PARTICIPATION (PAST AND PRESENT)

Board of Governors, Park City Club, Dallas, Texas (2015 to Present)

Board Member, Boys & Girls Club of Navarro County (2013 to Present)

Board Member, Army & Navy Club of Washington DC (2009 to 2012)

Global Forum Member, Dallas World Affairs Council (2015 to Present)

Member, Caduceus Society, Baylor Scott & White (Temple, Texas) (2006 to Present)

Member, The Military Order of the Carabao, Washington DC (2009 to Present)

Member, Military Order of the World Wars, Dallas, Texas (2015 to Present)

Founding Member, The University of Kentucky Federalist Society (1990-1993)

CURRENT & PAST APPOINTMENTS & ACADEMIC PARTICIPATION

Guest Lecturer, Center for American & International Law, Plano, Texas

Adjunct Professor, International Law, Defense Institute of International Legal Studies, Naval War College, Newport Rhode Island

Instructor, The Judge Advocate General’s School, Charlottesville, Virginia

Instructor, L-3 University