Spencer McManus

Spencer McManus litigates high-stakes commercial cases and disputes involving intellectual property, breach of contract, business torts, and consumer class actions.

He has significant trial experience representing prominent clients in the technology industry. He recently helped defend a cybersecurity company against claims of fraud and breach of warranty, winning a complete defense verdict at trial and saving the company from more than $200 million in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages. He played a significant role, examining witnesses, drafting and arguing motions, and preparing all forms of trial submissions. He was also on the trial team that defended Google in a patent infringement lawsuit involving ground-breaking machine learning hardware. The successful outcomes in both cases earned Keker, Van Nest & Peters recognition as a 2024 Trial Group of the Year by Law360.  Spencer’s pro bono practice focuses on reproductive rights and voting rights work.

Prior to joining Keker, Van Nest & Peters, Spencer served as a law clerk for Judge J. Clifford Wallace of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Judge Beth Labson Freeman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He also served as an associate for an Am Law Top 50 law firm, where he represented companies in complex commercial litigation.

Spencer earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. He earned his B.A.S. in political science-public service and chemistry from the University of California, Davis. While in law school, Spencer served as a legal intern for the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Appellate Section and as a judicial intern to Judge Rudolph Contreras of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Spencer lives in San Jose with his wife and dog.