“… He just doesn’t pick some scrub attorney out of the phone book. He goes to Houston, the oil and gas capital of the United States and hires one of the top law firms in Houston for oil and gas securities fraud, the Spencer Law Firm. He hires Troy Aikman to quarterback his team. Troy Aikman.”
​
– James A. Pikl, Partner at Scheef & Stone, LLP
Bonnie E. Spencer
Principal
Ms. Spencer has more than 40 years of legal experience practicing as a business, securities, transaction, and litigation attorney in Houston. Among her many achievements is being the first woman assigned to head a class action in securities litigation in the state.
Bonnie E. Spencer is the senior lawyer in the firm. She has been practicing as a business, securities, transaction, and litigation attorney on the Houston legal scene since 1980 and has enjoyed serving her many corporate and individual business clients. She believes that it is an adventure and a challenge for her to find the solution to every legal problem brought to her by our clients.
​
Bonnie has long assisted various clients such as individuals who have lost money because of fraud, criminal activity or negligence, broker-dealers needing help to comply with regulatory licensing and compliance, businesses having disagreements with other businesses or investors, individuals with claims against investment firms, SEC, state and FINRA regulatory compliance, capital formation, white collar criminal defense, shareholder, partnership, and member disputes, and internal business administrative, control, and operational difficulties, and other general company and partnership problems of all types.
Education
January 1980
Loyola University
School of Law
New Orleans, Louisiana
Juris Doctor
January 1980
Loyola University
College of Business Administration
New Orleans, Louisiana
M.B.A. Degree
January 1976
Loyola University
College of Business Administration
New Orleans, Louisiana
B.B.A. Degree in Banking and Finance
Magna Cum Laude, Class Rank, 6th
Ashley M. Spencer
Partner
Ashley Spencer has an extensive skill set that encompasses state and federal securities transactions and litigation, regulations and compliance. Ms. Spencer has litigated on behalf of Plaintiffs, defended and represented clients involving investigations and enforcement proceedings with the Texas Securities Board, FINRA and the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Mrs. Spencer is also adept in oil and gas law, salt water disposal wells, corporate formation, capitalization and development, mergers and acquisitions, private securities, FINRA and SEC enforcement regulatory proceedings and arbitration, compliance, pharmaceutical product liability, real estate, corporate litigation, contract disputes, partnership and company ownership disputes, corporate fraud, white collar crime, copyright infringement, debt collections, probate, trusts and estates and general business law.
After graduating law school in 2010, Ms. Spencer began working with The Spencer Law Firm and became its lead litigation counsel and partner in 2021. As stated above, Ms. Spencer’s docket focuses on securities compliance, civil and regulatory matters, as well as general business litigation, corporate disputes, white collar crime and partnership and shareholder disputes. Mrs. Spencer has represented clients in Texas and Delaware. In 2020, Mrs. Spencer was appointed lead counsel in a partnership dispute involving half a billion-dollars and assisted in its resolution. More recently, in the oil and gas arena, Mrs. Spencer successfully litigated, removed and replaced two operators with ownership interests for two separate salt water disposal wells and successfully settled the associated disputes. Mrs. Spencer focused more than 10 years on a FINRA case which was appealed to the SEC and remanded back to FINRA to reduce sanctions in accord with SEC and FINRA guidelines. Recently, she co-chaired the defense of a copyright infringement case, which was resolved via a confidential settlement where neither side admitted fault.
​
Although, Mrs. Spencer has an active business docket, she also advocates for injured people and their families in product liability cases. Mrs. Spencer participated in the transvaginal mesh litigation which resulted in a $20,000,000 award to the plaintiff. She also settled many product liability cases, compensating millions in settlement for her clients and currently leads a team at The Spencer Law Firm for a variety of product liability cases. She is dedicated to zealously representing clients and their families by pursuing justice for those who have been harmed by toxic substances, drugs and defective products. Ms. Spencer has represented hundreds of clients and has obtained millions on their behalf. Her business background brings a different skill set to the product liability litigation arena which assists her in obtaining significant settlements for her clients.
​
Prior to working for the Spencer Law Firm, Mrs. Spencer clerked with the Texas Attorney General’s office in the anti-trust division for almost two years.
​​​​​​
Notable Litigation
MCAP Operating Company LLC v, Justin Brown et al., 14th Judicial District, Dallas County, Texas (2025): Lead Counsel - Secured a $3 Million Judgment for oil and gas investment fraud
Aster Securities (US), LP et al. v. Wilbur Ed Bosarge Jr., 127th Judicial District, Harris County, Texas (2021): Lead Counsel – Successfully litigated a billion dollar securities fraud dispute.
Quantlab Group GP, LLC, et al. v. Bruce Eames, et al., Court Chancery of the State of Delaware (2021): Represented minority shareholders in a 1.5 Billion Dollar private ownership dispute.
​
Lead counsel in Spencer & Associates, P.C. v. Stephen Harper, Vicki Harper and ZO Energy, Inc., Cause No. 2016-88479, In the 189th Judicial District, Harris County, Texas (2025). Secured a $1.4 million dollar judgment for fraud and fraudulent transfers in violation of the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act.
​
Matter: Renegade Capital, L.P., et al. v. Texas First Investment Management Co., L.P.
Court/Cause: 281st Judicial District Court, Harris County, Texas — Cause No. 2022-52240
Result: In September 2025, the Court granted partial summary judgment totalling $2.7 million in Favor of our client(s).
Team & Role: The Spencer Law Firm served as counsel, with Ashley M. Spencer as co-lead counsel.
Status: Awaiting final judgment. We will update this entry upon the Court’s issuance..
​
​
Education
May 2010
Loyola University of New Orleans
College of Law
New Orleans, Louisiana
Juris Doctor
May 2007
The University of Texas
Bachelor of Arts
Licensed to Practice
Loyola University of New Orleans
-
Licensed in the State of Texas since 2011
-
Admitted to the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
-
Admitted to the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
-
Admitted to the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
-
Admitted to the United States Supreme Court
-
Admitted to the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
-
Admitted to the United States District Court, District of New Jersey
-
Admitted to the United States District Court, Northern District of Florida
-
Admitted to the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
-
Admitted to the United States District Court, Southern District of West Virginia
-
Admitted to the United States District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee
Steve Stewart
Of Counsel
Steve Stewart has represented businesses and individuals throughout Texas for over 40 years.
Steve’s practice is focused primarily on complex business litigation, commercial disputes and energy transactions and litigation.
Steve’s litigation experience is broad and has included representation of national and local banks, commercial and residential real estate developers, energy companies and royalty owners, securities brokerage houses, commercial and residential landlords and tenants, among others. His versatility and tenacity as a trial lawyer has been demonstrated by his having obtained a multimillion dollar verdict for his client in the longest civil jury trial in Bexar County history—lasting over nine months. He is recognized for his work by his peers and publications alike and has been featured in Texas Architect on several occasions. He is also a thought leader in emerging oil and gas and construction law issues, having taught multiple CLE courses throughout his career.
Steve has effectively represented clients in a variety of energy disputes such as: lease access, surface use and damage claims, joint operating agreement disputes, operator and working interest disputes, royalty owner disputes, drilling contracts, mechanic’s and materialmen’s lien claims, COPAS accounting issues, ground and water contamination claims, surface and subsurface trespass claims, purchase and sale agreements, and farmout agreements. Steve’s vast experience together with his depth of knowledge gives him both a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of the oil and gas industry, which provides great value to his clients.
Natalie Maciel
Associate
Natalie Maciel is an Associate at The Spencer Law Firm, focusing on litigation, compliance, and general business law. Her strong foundation in legal experience and academic accomplishments enables her to effectively tackle complex legal issues and provide insightful solutions.
​
Before joining Spencer Law Firm, Ms. Maciel served as a Case Manager at a personal injury firm, where she was crucial in managing case strategies, client interactions, and legal research. Her earlier experience as a Legal Assistant further refined her expertise in legal procedures and documentation.
​
Ms. Maciel graduated cum laude from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2024, ranking in the top 15% of her class. Her academic achievements include Certificates of Merit in Conflict of Laws, Constitutional Law II, Entertainment Law, Mortgages and Land Contracts, Civil Procedure II, Contracts II, and Criminal Law. She also received an Honors Scholarship during her second semester for her outstanding academic performance.
​
During her time at Cooley Law School, Ms. Maciel was actively involved in the Organization of Women Law Students and participated in several expungement fairs, providing valuable legal assistance to individuals seeking to clear their criminal records.
​
Ms. Maciel completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Houston-Downtown, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Administration and Management, graduating cum laude. As an undergraduate, she was a member of the UHD Pre-Law Association, serving as Executive Officer and Event Coordinator.
​
Ms. Maciel’s strong academic background and diverse legal experience make her a valuable asset to the Spencer Law Firm team. Her dedication to the firm’s clients and her comprehensive legal knowledge enhances her ability to navigate complex legal matters effectively.
Our Legal Staff
Cathy M. Easterly, Office Manager/Accounting/Legal Assistant
Licea D. Sims, Senior Paralegal
Regina S. Nervis, Legal Assistant
Natalie Maciel, Law Clerk