Mr. Speed is also a founding member of the Northern Virginia Plaintiffs Bar, an organization of plaintiff lawyers dedicated to improving the ability of victims to pursue justice for their injuries. He often uses his experience as a licensed pilot to represent victims and their families involved in aircraft crashes.

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, a study by Harvard University law professors, Mr. Speed is a member of the Florida Justice Association, formerly known as the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association; and the American Association for Justice, formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. A sought-after public speaker, he has lectured on civil injury trials and in the fields of plaintiff's personal injury and medical malpractice.

Mr. Speed received a bachelor of arts degree from Georgetown University, and a law degree from the George Washington University Law School.