Michael Smith

• Texas Tech University School of Law, Lubbock, Texas​
  • J.D., 1999
  • Honors: Member, Phi Delta Phi
• Trinity University
  • B.A., 1996

• Texas, 1999
• U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas

Seen by his clients as thorough, hard-working and pragmatic, Michael takes a realistic approach to effectively litigating matters and advising his clients through lawsuits or regulatory investigations. Michael counsels and represents companies and professionals across a spectrum of businesses, including attorneys, accountants, real estate brokers and agents, real estate inspectors, insurance brokers (including wholesale brokers) and agents, insurance adjusting companies and their employees and consultants, commercial property owners and property management companies, and mortgage servicing companies.

Below are a few of Michael’s representative engagements:

• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a mortgage servicing company alleged to have violated the Texas Fair Debt Collection Act and Texas Property Code.
• Successfully appealed an order denying client’s special appearance contesting jurisdiction in the state of Texas resulting in a complete dismissal of all claims brought against our client in O’Daire vs. Rowand Recovery, LLC, No. 05-16-01097-CV; 2017WL30036 (Tex. App.—Dallas Mar. 9, 2017, no pet.).
• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a national commercial property management company against a slip-and-fall premises liability claim.
• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a national insurance adjusting company and its adjuster alleged to have violated the Texas Insurance Code and committed fraud in a property damage dispute in which the plaintiffs sought more than $1 million in damages.
• Obtained dismissal of Truth-in-Lending Act and Real Estate Settlement Practices Act claims, breach of contract, and injunctive relief asserted by a homeowner against a private lending company involving a promissory note for a residential property.
• Represented insurance agency against claims of negligent misrepresentation and conspiracy regarding an alleged mortgage fraud scheme where lender sought to recover millions in damages on sub-prime loans. Obtained partial summary judgment for client, defeating negligent hiring, training and supervision claims.
• Represents commercial property owners and property management companies in a variety of negligence and premises liability claims.

• Named to the list of Texas Super Lawyers for Professional Liability Defense by Thomson Reuters, 2013-2022
• Named to the list of Texas Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters, 2007-2012

• State Bar of Texas, Insurance Law Section
• Dallas Bar Association, Tort & Insurance Practice Section
• 4A Economic Development Corporation for the City of Murphy, Texas – Past President, Vice President and Director, 2006 – 2011