Steven (“Steve”) L. Smith is a trial lawyer who is dedicated to the construction industry. For over ten years, his practice has concentrated on construction law and federal, state and local government contract law.
Mr. Smith’s practice focuses on litigation and prevention of construction law and government contract disputes. He has represented construction and service contractors, owners, sub-contractors and suppliers on federal, state, and local projects, as well as private contracting, on issues including bidding, bid protests, differing site conditions, changes, loss of productivity, delays and terminations. Mr. Smith has represented client interests in hundreds of trials, arbitrations, and mediations from Maine to Florida. Mr. Smith has also lectured and written extensively on construction law topics.
In 1994, Mr. Smith began his practice of law in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He served as Brigade Trial Counsel and Special Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting Courts Martial, as well as, cases in Federal Magistrate’s and District Court. Mr. Smith then joined one of the most highly respected construction law firms in the United States practicing in both the Atlanta, Georgia headquarters and offices in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2003, Mr. Smith founded Smith, Cooksey & Vickstrom upon the tenets of client focus and billing integrity
Mr. Smith believes that common sense and thorough preparation are the keys to efficient resolution of construction disputes. By employing an aggressively pragmatic approach, Mr. Smith serves his client’s best interest by marshalling the facts and exposing the opposition’s weaknesses. In addition to litigation, Mr. Smith also works with his clients to educate project personnel and adopt practical project documentation practices to insure that potential disputes are identified and well-documented to enable resolution at the project level.
EDUCATION
- University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia. J.D. degree with concentration in Trial Advocacy.
- University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia. Graduated summa cum laude with B.A. degree in political science and economics.
PUBLICATIONS
- “Closing the Loop on Material Cost Escalation Clauses”, Carolinas Contacts, CRSMCA, July-August 2005. p. 8.
- “Indemnity Clauses: What Every Subcontractor Must Know”, Carolinas Contacts, CRSMCA, January-February 2005, p.20.
- “What’s In Your Subcontract?”, Change Order, March 2004, Vol. 18, No. 2, p.5
- “Thou Shalt Mediate”, The Resource, Spring 2003, Vol. IX, p. 7; reprinted with permission, Carolina’s AGC Weekly Bulletin, April 17, 2003, p. 8.
- Contributing Author, Common Sense Construction Law, Chapter 10 “Management and Documentation Techniques to Avoid Disputes”, Wylie, 2nd Ed., 2001.
- “To Terminate or Not Terminate – That is the Question”, Smith, Currie & Hancock, LLP’s Common Sense Contracting, Spring 2001.
- “Preparing and Resolving Construction Claims/Edition II”, Construction Briefings, West Group, Vol. 2000-2, February 2000.
- “New Georgia Bid Mistake Law”, On the Road, Georgia Highway Contractors Association, Winter 1999.
- “Beware of Sites Unseen”, Smith, Currie & Hancock, LLP’s Common Sense Contracting, Winter 1999.
- “DSC vs. VEQ: Clash of the Titans”, Smith, Currie & Hancock, LLP’s Common Sense Contracting, Spring 1999.
- “DSC vs. VEQ: Clash of the Titans”, Smith, Currie & Hancock, LLP’s Common Sense Contracting, Spring 1999.
- “Bid Verifications”, Dixie Contractor, March, 1999.
- “New Georgia Bid Mistake Law”, Smith, Currie & Hancock, LLP’s Common Sense Contracting, Summer 1998.
SEMINARS TAUGHT
- ConcensusDocs: Can you Teach Old Dogs New Tricks, Tri-State Roofing Expo, January 2008, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Design Build Contracting in the Federal Procurement Arena, National Concrete Masonry Association, October 2005, Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: Resolving Conflict to Relieve Suffering, North Carolina Practical Skills Clinic, North Carolina Bar Association, September 2004 & 2005, Cary, North Carolina.
- Up Against the Wall, The Origin and Expansion of Architect and Engineer Negligence Liability, Construction Specification Institute, June 2004, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Mediation and Dispute Review Boards in State Construction, North Carolina State Construction Conference, January 2004, Raleigh, North Carolina.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: Resolving Conflict to Relieve Suffering, North Carolina Practical Skills 2003, North Carolina Bar Association, Cary, North Carolina 2003.
- Changes and Differing Site Conditions, Dixon Odom, Charlotte, North Carolina 2001.
- Common Sense Construction Law, Carolinas AGC, Charlotte, North Carolina 2001.
- Public Construction Contracts and Competitive Public Bidding in North Carolina, Lorman Educational Services, Charlotte, North Carolina 2001.
- Construction Management and Design Build in North Carolina, seminar materials preparation, Charlotte, North Carolina 2001
- Government Construction Contracting Law: Federal and State Perspectives, Lorman Educational Services, Albany, Georgia 2000.
- Government Construction Contracting Law: Federal and State Perspectives, Lorman Educational Services, Savannah, Georgia 2000.
- Government Construction Contracting Law: Federal and State Perspectives, Lorman Educational Services, Savannah, Georgia 1999.
- Georgia Construction Law: A Legal Perspective, Lorman Educational Services, Atlanta, Georgia 1999.
- Georgia Construction Lien and Public Contract Bond Law, Smith, Currie & Hancock, LLP, Atlanta, Georgia 1999.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution, Carolina’s Homebuilder’s Association, Greenwood, South Carolina 1999.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- American Subcontractors Association
- Associated Building Contractors
- North Carolina State Bar (2000)
- Georgia State Bar (1994)
- Court of Federal Claims (1999)
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2004)
- North Carolina Bar Association: Construction Law Section, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, & General Curriculum Committee Member