A Quality Legal Representation Team and Cost-Effective Solutions 

Jay Earl Smith, member

Jay Smith has a substantial practice in civil litigation, including areas of complex commercial litigation, banking, lender liability, consumer protection, credit practices, personal injury defense, products liability, premises liability, construction, real estate, contracts, mortgage law, and securities fraud.  He has tried cases in state and federal courts, and has argued appeals before the Nevada Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Smith helps to resolve legal disputes by serving as a private arbitrator and mediator, as a settlement judge for the Nevada Supreme Court, and as a short trial judge for the Nevada District Court.  His arbitration and mediation cases include many of the same areas of law as his litigation cases, plus trademark infringement, franchising, employment, collections, hotel, and insurance law.  He has been a speaker on the subject of alternative dispute resolution for continuing legal education and training programs.  In 2006, he was named one of America’s 500 leading judges, public and private, by Law Dragon, the fastest growing on-line legal community in the world.  Mr. Smith has also been an instructor for paralegal education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  He is rated AV by his peers, the highest rating available in the Martindale-Hubbell directory of legal counsel.

Admitted to practice law in:

• Nevada
• Utah
• U.S. District Court, District of Nevada
• U.S. District Court, District of Utah
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court

Education:

• University of Utah, Honors BA 1977, magna cum laude
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Phi Kappa Phi

• University of Utah, JD 1980
  • Administrative Editor, Journal of Energy Law and Policy 1979-1980
  • Moot Court Honors Board Member 1979-1980
  • William H. Leary Scholar

• Law Clerk to Justice Thomas L. Steffen, Nevada Supreme Court 1982

Memberships:

• Federal Bar Association
• American Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Litigation, Tort and Insurance; Alternative Dispute Resolution)
• Defense Research Institute
• Clark County Bar Association
• American Arbitration Association

Reported Cases:

• Edwards v. Wells Fargo & Co., 606 F.3d 555 (9th Cir. 2010)
• Orzoff v. Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., 2009 WL 4643229 (D. Nev. March 26, 2009)
• Fritz Hansen A/S v. Eighth Judicial Distrtict Court, 116 Nev. 650, 6 P.3d 982 (2000)
• Davidson v. Velsicol Chemical Corporation, 108 Nev. 591, 834 P.2d 931 (1992)
• Velsicol Chemical Corporation v. Davidson, 107 Nev. 356, 811 P.2d 561 (1991)
• Nevada State Bank v. Jamison Family Partnership, 106 Nev. 792, 801 P.2d 1377 (1990)
• Riley v. Rockwell, 103 Nev. 698, 747 P.2d 903 (1987)
• Lowden Investment Company v. General Electric Credit Company, 103 Nev. 374, 741 P.2d 806 (1987)