Our firm’s practice is focused on “Four Cs”:

Construction: Smith & Craven, PLLC is a growing law firm started in 2003 by Gary Smith & D Jeffrey Craven.  The firm’s foundation was built on servicing the many contractors, architects and developers in Arizona.  The partners have substantial experience with all issues in the construction process, from permitting, public works bid protests, zoning issues, real estate purchase due diligence, architect contracts, construction contracts, disputes between owners, architects, contractors and subcontractors over workmanship and payment, lien issues, lien perfection and litigation, and bond issues.  We also have extensive experience with claims brought before the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Corporate: We have been involved in nearly every aspect of corporate life, from birth to death.  In other words, we assist folks to form new corporations and limited liability companies, advise clients on business entity choice and business planning, and register trade names and trademarks for businesses.  We advise on the various things a new business needs to set up and function and to avoid trouble, where possible.  Also, we help with the process of winding down companies, whether due to retirement of the principals, sale of the business assets, or even where the business has just not succeeded.

Commercial: The firm has traditionally focused on representing the needs of other businesses.  The Partners are “business geeks” who love to learn about their clients’ businesses and who use that approach, along with their 16+ years of litigation and transaction practice experience, to help their clients to manage risk and resolve disputes.  We have prepared various contracts that a business needs, including contracts with vendors, negotiating leases, creating customer contracts/forms, and employment agreements and non-compete agreements.  We have also assisted with the purchase and sale of businesses.  Plus, of course, we have over the course of our practice litigated hundreds of cases involving business disputes of various sorts, including claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and simple breach of contract.

Consumer: while business clients are our main focus, businesses are run by people, and people invariably need legal services of their own.  Thus, we also assist individuals’ needs.  In particular, we have helped individuals with claims against businesses and others who have broken promises or defrauded them.  We also help people who have been involved in accidents, and people whose financial problems leave them no alternative but to file bankruptcy.
We use a collective approach to client representation.  When you hire us, you get the benefit of all of our brains.  Also, though we aggressively represent our clients’ interests, we are mindful of the legal costs and work with our clients to come to make decisions that are in the clients’ best legal AND economical interest.  Finally, though we have a breadth of experience, we do not and cannot do every area of law practice.  BUT, we encourage our clients to call us first, because if we cannot do the work ourselves we know a lot of attorneys who do what we don’t do, and where we don’t know a

specific attorney we will try to help our clients’ find an attorney who can help them.

We are presently licensed in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Colorado, North Carolina, and New York, though our focus is on the Southwest corner of the United States.

For more information, check out the Attorney Bios and review the Practice Areas.  Or, you can simply Contact Us to schedule a consultation.

Smith & Craven PLLC is a law firm that may be considered a "debt relief agency" under the bankruptcy laws. The firm provides bankruptcy services to assist persons with debt and foreclosure issues.