Paul Smith
For over 30 years, Paul Smith has been very successful trying many different types of cases to juries. He has also tried numerous bench trials and argued in federal and state appellate courts. Paul has tried a variety of cases on both sides of the docket, including oil & gas, environmental, commercial, personal injury, products liability, professional liability and employment cases. Paul started his career in the Tort section at Vinson and Elkins before joining Ware Jackson. Paul is currently the managing partner of the firm. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and is AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating from the preeminent standard in attorney ratings.
Paul learned that the keys to winning a case are knowledge of the law and sustained, relentless and focused preparation. Paul has been fortunate enough to work both with and against some of the best trial lawyers in the country. This experience has allowed him to develop the skills in advocacy and good judgment he uses to represent his clients. Paul gives honest and straightforward evaluations to clients, directly answering their questions and advising them on what work needs to be done to consistently meet or exceed goals. He is always available for his clients — early, late, weekends and holidays. His talent for advocacy, persuasion skills and judgment allows him to ethically, efficiently and successfully represent clients with diverse types of issues and cases.
Paul’s sincere belief in the American civil judicial system is what ultimately drove him to choose his profession. He believes in the jury system, and he believes that if (i) attorneys are advocates, (ii) judges are guardians of the law and (iii) jury members are fact finders, our legal system works better than any other legal system in the world.
Paul enjoys spending his free time with his wife, son and twin daughters. The family regularly enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking and golf. Paul has been a board member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and remains active in trying to find a cure to Type 1 diabetes.