Mr. Simeon Christie Smith IV
SmithBush, LLPS. Christie Smith IV is the senior partner of SmithBush, LLP, a regional Louisiana law firm originally established in 1911 to represent laborers--and too often their widows and children--who were harmed by the burgeoning and unregulated timber industry in the rural South. Mr. Smith's work today is the modern extension of that century-old practice, in a broader, litigation-based platform. As a consumer advocate and lawyer-in-the-trenches, he has spent his career representing regular people in the fight for safer working conditions, reliable products, civil rights, and fair access to the courts. His practice focuses on litigating wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases resulting from defective products and drugs, automobile collisions, motorcycle accidents, industrial incidents, medical errors, and Federal Tort Claims liability. On occasion, he defends individuals in the most serious types of criminal charges or in cases where their Constitutional rights have been intentionally or systemically abridged. He has tried cases across the Gulf South, from personal injury and damage claims to first degree murder and narcotics traficking. He is one of the few lawyers dually board-certified in both civil and criminal trial advocacy by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification, has been recognized in the "Top 50 Louisiana SuperLawyers" List, holds an "AV--Preeminent" rating, the highest rating available from the Martindale-Hubbell Directory of Attorneys, and is listed in Best Lawyers in America. He is widely-published and frequently lectures on emerging issues in trial and Constitutional law.
- Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge
- J.D. | Civil Law
- -
-
- Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge
- B.A. | English Literature, Philosophy
- -
-
- Senior Partner
- SmithBush, LLP
- - Current
- Partner
- The Smith Law Firm, LLP
- -
- Member
- Smith, Ford, & Clark
- The Safeguards of Liberty Are Frequently Forged in Disputes Involving Not-Very-Nice People"
- CenLa Pro Bono Project
- "Discovery Practice Against Government Entities--the 'Touhy Situation'", Winning with the Masters, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Louisiana Association for Justice
- "Hedonic Damages: Giving Meaning to 'Life, Liberty, and the Pusuit of Happiness'"
- Office of the Staff Judge Advocate
- "The Word 'Automobile' Is Not a Talisman in Whose Presence the Fourth Amendment Fades Away and Disappears"
- Office of the Staff Judge Advocate
- "The Collateral Source Rule in Retreat", Last Chance CLE, Baton Rouge, Louisina
- Louisiana Association for Justice
- Board Certified, Civil Trial Law
- National Board of Legal Specialty Certification
- Board Certified, Criminal Trial Law
- National Board of Legal Specialty Certification
- Death Penalty, Lead Counsel
- Louisiana Indigent Defense Assistance Board
- Top 50 Louisiana SuperLawyers
- SuperLawyers, Thomson Reuters Publishing
- Each year, Super Lawyers recognizes the top lawyers in Louisiana, selected via peer nomination, independent research and peer evaluation. Those Louisiana lawyers who receive the highest point totals during the nomination, research and peer review process are further recognized as the "best of the best" in Louisiana Super Lawyers "Top Lists."
- Induction
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum is one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements that have actually been paid to the client. Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. Many of our members have achieved numerous million and multi-million dollar results (several members have won billion dollar cases). Their practice areas include most areas of litigation. The common fact is that they have each demonstrated, in an objective and tangible way, their ability to accomplish superior results in complex cases.
- AV-Preeminent Rating
- Martindale-Hubbell
- The Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ help buyers of legal services identify, evaluate and select the most appropriate lawyer for a specific task at hand. They are an objective indicator of a lawyer's high ethical standards and professional ability, generated from evaluations of lawyers by other members of the bar and the judiciary. An AV Preeminent® (4.5-5.0) rating, the highest available, is a significant rating accomplishment - a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.
- Inducted to SuperLawyers
- Key Professional Media
- Top 5% of lawyers in their fields. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
- "Top 100 Trial Lawyers"
- The National Trial Lawyers
- The National Trial Lawyers is composed of the premier trial lawyers from across the country who meet stringent qualifications as civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense trial lawyers. Only the top 100 trial lawyers from each state or highly-populated regions who are actively practicing are eligible for invitation.
- Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Life Member
- Current
-
- Roscoe Pound Foundation
- Fellow
- Current
-
- Federal Fifth Circuit Bar Association
- Member
- Current
-
- National Association of Crimnal Defense Lawyers
- Member
- Current
-
- Central Louisiana Pro Bono Project
- Board of Directors
- Current
-
- Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Board of Directors (past)
- Current
-
- Thirtieth Judicial District Bar Association
- President (past)
- Current
-
- Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association
- Governor (past)
- Current
-
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- (past) Delegate--House of Delegates
- Current
-
- American Association for Justice
- Life Member
- Current
-
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- Member
- Current
-
- Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association
- Member
- Current
-
- Louisiana Association for Justice
- Governor (past)
- Current
-
- Louisiana Association for Justice, Criminal Law Section
- Chairman (past)
- Current
-
- Louisiana Association for Justice, Automobile Torts Section
- Member
- Current
-
- Louisiana Bar Foundation
- Fellow
- Current
-
- Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Member, Amicus Curiae Committee
- Current
-
- District of Columbia
-
- Louisiana
-
- 5th Circuit
-
- 8th Circuit
-
- 9th Circuit
-
- 11th Circuit
-
- Coushatta Tribal Court
-
- D.C. Circuit
-
- Federal Circuit
-
- U.S. Supreme Court
-
- Free Consultation
-
Credit Cards Accepted
Visa, MsterCard, American Express -
Contingent Fees
33% to 40%; No Recovery, No Fee -
Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
Criminal Defense is billed hourly, usually at $250/hr for out-of-court work and $350/hr for in-court work. Sliding scale and capped fee arrangements are possible in some circumstances.
- Personal Injury
- Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
- Medical Malpractice
- Birth Injury, Medical Misdiagnosis, Pharmacy Errors, Surgical Errors
- Car Accidents
- Constitutional Law
- Federal Tort Claims
- English: Spoken, Written
- French: Spoken, Written
- Website
- Main Office Website
SmithBush - Big Timber