Mr. Smith is a Partner with extensive experience in the areas of construction, real estate, and business law, specializing in the litigation and resolution of complex construction, real estate, and business disputes in all forums, including state and federal court, JAMS, and AAA. Representative clients include developers, contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, material suppliers, homeowner associations, banks, sureties, and governmental agencies. He also has extensive experience in the negotiating and drafting of complex, construction contracts, business contracts, commercial lease and sales agreements and related documentation on behalf of contractors, owners, developers, and property owners.

 

Representative litigation matters include, but are not limited to (1) pursuing multimillion dollar contract claims for an electrical subcontractor against a general contractor involving a prominent Los Angeles County museum; (2) defending a general contractor from a $30 million construction defect claim related to a 22-story residential high-rise building in West Los Angeles; (3) representing a general contractor in a $4.5 million claim seeking contract and delay damages in connection with a San Diego waste water treatment plant; (4) litigating multimillion dollar claims on behalf of a general contractor against numerous school districts in and around California pertaining to extra work and impact claims relating to school construction; (5) taking action against a prior owner of a high-end custom home for a purchaser, alleging fraud regarding the true condition of the premises, in which damages in excess of $600,000 were being sought; and (6) defending a concrete material supplier against an $11 million claim of product defect by a general contractor pertaining to a hospital project in the Central Valley, among other matters.

 

Mr. Smith has been equally involved in negotiating the purchase and sale of industrial and commercial properties in and around Southern California, as well as drafting and negotiating contracts for contractors, subcontractors and suppliers regarding both public and private works of improvement.

 

A graduate of Western State University School of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctorate, and the University of Southern California, where he obtained his undergraduate degree in Public Affairs. He is a member of the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Mr. Smith has been “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell since 2012, and has been designated a Super Lawyer in Southern California by his peers since 2013.