Houston Legal Malpractice Attorney -
Legal malpractice has been the focus of Mr. Smoot's law practice since 1989. Since graduating from the University of Texas School of Law in 1977, Mr. Smoot has actively practiced in various areas of civil litigation across the State of Texas, but particularly in Houston and Austin. During most of the 1980's, Mr. Smoot was a trial lawyer for the State Bar of Texas in the prosecution of lawyer disciplinary cases all over the State of Texas, ultimately becoming First Assistant General Counsel and Chief Trial Lawyer for the State Bar of Texas. Since leaving the State Bar in 1989, Mr. Smoot has maintained his own law practice in Austin and then in Houston, devoted to civil litigation with particular emphasis on lawyer professional responsibility - legal malpractice, legal ethics, grievance defense.
Legal malpractice is a broad term that encompasses various types of civil liability claims brought against lawyers for breaches of duties owed by lawyers to clients and occasionally to other persons that cause damages. Particular conduct by a lawyer may violate the professional standard of care, disciplinary rules, civil statutes, and even criminal statutes. Such conduct may result in money damages, fee forfeiture, disqualification, and loss of license. Mr. Smoot has represented clients in legal malpractice actions brought in other states with local attorneys as co-counsel.
