Spencer O'Dwyer

Spencer has nearly a decade of experience representing individual and organizational clients from across the globe involved in litigation, arbitration, and mediation before U.S. state and federal courts, agencies, and arbitral tribunals.  Prior to joining JPS Law, Spencer worked at multiple litigation boutiques in the District of Columbia, as well as the Alexandria, Virginia office of an AmLaw 100 firm.

Spencer's practice is focused primarily on commercial litigation and professional liability cases involving construction, business, and contract disputes.  His professional liability practice includes the representation of design firms, as well as individual architects and engineers, in civil lawsuits and disciplinary proceedings before professional licensing boards.  Spencer also has experience representing design firms in collection matters in connection with claims for substantial unpaid fees for professional services rendered.

Spencer has an established track record of obtaining favorable results for clients through settlement, judgment and arbitral award, including multiple successes arbitrating commercial cases from inception through evidentiary hearing before the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Spencer also has experience assisting clients in transactional matters, including contract negotiations for professional architectural and engineering services.  Spencer has experience drafting a wide variety of contractual agreements, including design services agreements, shareholders' agreements, and note purchase agreements. 

In recognition of his achievements, Spencer has been selected for the Super Lawyers® Rising Stars List for four consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025) in the areas of Construction Litigation, Business Litigation, and Professional Liability Defense.

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Additional Practice Notes

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• Obtained a $375,000 FINRA arbitral award against a brokerage firm in favor of a financial adviser in a breach of contract case.

• Obtained a AAA arbitral award in favor of a D.C. government contractor in a case involving the breach of a non-competition agreement following an evidentiary hearing.

• Obtained summary judgment on a negligence per se claim asserted against a structural engineering firm in D.C. Superior Court in connection with the alleged negligent design of underpinning of a party wall in a Washington, D.C. townhouse.

• Obtained summary judgment on a conversion claim brought against a federal government contractor in Maryland Circuit Court by the company's former Chief Executive Officer.

• Obtained dismissal of a negligence action brought in Maryland District Court against a multinational home improvement retail corporation upon successfully arguing a motion to dismiss in a case involving the alleged defective installation of an appliance resulting in a gas leak in a residential property.

• Obtained dismissal upon a motion to dismiss of a purported class action lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against the owner of a large residential apartment community under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act and the Maryland Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

• Obtained a federal declaratory judgment in favor of a London-based investment company with respect to its ownership of an internet domain name that had been fraudulently sold to a bona fide purchaser.

• Obtained dismissal of a licensure citation issued by a professional licensing board against a professional engineer for unlicensed practice during lapse of license.

sodwyer@jpslaw.com
703-552-0101

​Bar Admissions

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• District of Columbia

• Maryland

• Virginia

• Massachusetts

• U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia 

• U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

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Education

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B.S., Worcester State University

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center