Phillip Smith

Background

About Phillip Smith

Currently serving as an Assistant Attorney General in the General Litigation Division. Responsible for all facets of civil litigation on behalf of the State, it’s agencies, departments, and universities. Previous experience includes serving as a felony prosecutor with responsibility for all stages of criminal litigation and the Chief of the Civil Division, with responsibility for general counsel to the county, its officials, and its departments. Including primary responsibility for managing litigation where the county is a party as well as handling subpoenas, environmental crimes, mental health commitments, and public information requests. Also wrote legal opinions for county elected officials and department heads upon request. Private practice experience includes work on business breach of contract claims in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, securities, healthcare, and oil and gas. Also worked on commercial litigation cases involving negligence and breach of fiduciary duty. Further experience with the City of Dallas's redistricting efforts following the 2010 US Census and was involved in extensive research into the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in furtherance of the city's drafts of new council district boundaries for preclearance with the US Department of Justice. In addition, drafted the City of Dallas Human Resources Department's implementation manual for the Meet and Confer Agreement with the police and fire fighters associations. Also worked as a member of the Godwin Lewis Halliburton trial team working in connection with all civil litigation and investigations concerning BP's 2010 Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico-one of the single-largest pieces of litigation in US history. Admitted to practice: State Courts of Texas; State Courts of Michigan; US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals; US District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas.