Gary Michael Smith, Esq.

Gary Michael Smith is a founding member of Smith & Craven, P.L.L.C. Gary is a commercial and construction litigation attorney, a published author, and has participated as teaching faculty in continuing legal education seminars. During his 16 plus years in practice, he has represented an assortment of corporate clients, including lending institutions and construction companies, before state and federal courts, the Registrar of Contractors, the Office of Administrative Hearings, and in private arbitration before the American Arbitration Association.

Gary is also an accomplished appellate lawyer, having represented parties in appeals from civil litigation and administrative court decisions. He has both represented clients of the firm and been referred cases by other lawyers in Arizona.

Education

• California Western School of Law.
• State University of New York College at Geneseo.

Arbitration / Mediation / A.D.R. Training and Experience

• Judge Pro Tempore – Maricopa County Superior Court (2003).
• Listed on Maricopa County Superior Court roster of court-appointed arbitrators.
• In March 2003, acted as settlement judge pro tempore to resolve $500,000+ insurance coverage suit between a hotelier and its architect.
• In October 2001, acted as arbitrator to settle dispute between a fine art gallery and a memorabilia dealer over rare turn-of-the-century baseball cards and Marilyn Monroe collectibles.
• Completed coursework in mediation and arbitration, including mock mediation sessions and mock arbitration, 1993.
• Completed coursework in negotiation technique, premised upon the principles taught by Roger Fisher and William Ury of the Harvard Negotiation Project, 1993.

Licenses

• State Bar of Arizona.
• State Bar of Colorado.
• State Bar of North Carolina.
• State Bar of New York.
• United States District Court, 9th Circuit District of Arizona.
• United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

Associations and Memberships

• North Phoenix Bar Association (Director and Founding Member)
• American Bar Association.
• State Bar Association of Arizona, Administrative Law Section, Appellate Practice Section.
• Maricopa County Bar Association. (former member)
• American Subcontractors Association, Arizona Chapter. (former member)

Publications and Legal Education Taught

• Arizona Mechanic’s Lien Law Seminar, Presented Annually to Various Organizations, most recently in conjunction with Accurate Lien and Contractor Services on November 17, 2009
• Secured Transactions, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, June 2006.
• Do I Have To Put It In Writing?, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, February 2006.
• Arizona’s In Home Solicitation Law: A Weapon for Consumers, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, October 2005.
• Non-Compete and Non-Disclosure Agreements, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, August 2005.
• Construction Contract Types, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, May 2005.
• Is Your Contractor Licensed?, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, April 2005.
• What Are All Those Symbols?, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, February 2005.
• Trade Secrets: Protecting Your Assets, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, December 2004.
• Arbitration? Mediation? 26 Questions Answered, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, October 2004.
• Getting Real About Lawyers: Client Rights & Responsibilities, author, published in Deer valley Business Magazine and © Gary Michael Smith, September 2004.
• Negotiating The Commercial Lease: The Tenant's Perspective, author, published in Scottsdale Airpark News and © Gary Michael Smith, August 2004.
• Participating Lecturer of Spring 2003 Legal Breakfast Seminar Series, American Subcontractors Association, Arizona Chapter.
• Proper Maintenance of Your Arizona Corporation, author © Gary Michael Smith, August 2003.
• Practice and Procedure Before the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and Office of Administrative Hearings, "The Orange Book", © Gary Michael Smith, 2003.
• Construction Lien Law in Arizona, A Practice Manual, co-author, 2002, State Bar of Arizona.
• What’s This? The (mostly) Complete Guide to Registrar of Contractors Complaints – New and Improved for 2002, participating co-lecturer and seminar manual author, presented 21 February 2002, Phoenix, Arizona, sponsored by CLE West
• When Bad Things Happen to Good Lawyers: The Morbidity and Mortality of an Unusual Registrar of Contractors Case, participating co-lecturer and seminar manual author, presented 2001, © 06 November 2001, Phoenix, Arizona, sponsored by Arizona State Bar Construction Law Section.
• What’s This? The (mostly) Complete Guide to Registrar of Contractors Complaints, participating co-lecturer and seminar manual author, © 2001, presented 26 October 2001, Phoenix, Arizona, sponsored by CLE West.
• Professionalism, participating lecturer of small firm litigation break out session, 15 March 2000, Phoenix, Arizona, sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona as Mandatory Continuing Legal Education.
• The Paperless Office: Myth or Reality, participating lecturer, 17 June 1999 , Phoenix, Arizona, sponsored by the Maricopa County Bar Association.
• The Law of the Internet, author of contributing article, Freedom of Speech Under the First Amendment, A Primer for Internet Users, © Gary Michael Smith 1997, presented June 1997, Stanford, Connecticut, sponsored by the National Business Institute.
• Can San Diego Constitutionally Ban Panhandling in Balboa Park?, © Gary Michael Smith 1993, Law School Senior Thesis, California Western School of Law.

Other Interests

• Gary is an avid martial artist, having attained his black belt ranking in American Kenpo Karate. In the past year, he has also taken up the ancient Japanese fencing art of Kendo.  Gary is also S.C.U.B.A certified.  In his off-hours, Mr. Smith pens screenplays and moderates a local screenwriters group.  He is an avid reader.  He is also a connoisseur of comics and science fiction / fantasy television and movies, and in particular is a fan of Sid and Marty Kroft’s work.
• Recently, Gary has become active in local political organizations.