Russell M. "Mick" Spence Jr.

Mick Spence is a partner with Hellmuth & Johnson, PLLC representing entertainment, intellectual property and business clients through the firm's Business Services Group. He assists individuals and entities of all sizes, with a wide variety of business and litigation issues, including:

• Copyright, Trademark, Patent, Trade Secrets & Right of Publicity/Privacy
• Asset acquisitions, licensing and protection
• Complex, multi-party litigation, including class-actions
• Commercial disputes of all varieties
• Estate counsel & Probate litigation

Mick provides thoughtful counsel, proactive advice and zealous representation to his clients, while aggressively defending their rights and interests in all business or litigation matters. Combining his passions for creativity, commerce, advocacy and success, Mick has established a reputation as the go-to attorney for both creative talents and entrepreneurial businesses.

Mick’s extensive litigation experience involves entertainment assets, businesses, talent and their careers. His commercial litigation experience includes shareholder & partnership disputes, infringement actions, class-actions, trade secret protection, fraud, unfair competition and even estate or probate disputes.

Mick has been chosen by his peers as a Minnesota Super Lawyer®; with only 5% of Minnesota attorneys earning this recognition. Prior to that, he was selected as a Rising Star for multiple years running. Mick has taught college courses in Copyright, Music Publishing and Contract Law. He also frequently speaks and writes regarding business and legal issues, including the evolving entertainment industry and litigation developments.

Mick is licensed to practice law in Minnesota’s Federal and State Courts. He has also been admitted and represented clients in the Courts of New York, Florida, Texas and Utah. He is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (the Grammy® Organization), the Association of Media & Entertainment Counsel, the Forum of Entertainment and Sports Industries of the ABA and the Art & Entertainment Section of the MSBA, serving as its Chairperson. He was also twice elected as President of the Minnesota Music Academy, where he produced the Minnesota Music Awards. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak also appointed him to serve and advise on the Minneapolis Arts Commission.

Mick received a business degree from the Entrepreneur Program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He left the sun, sand & smog behind, returning to his home state of Minnesota, to earn his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.