S Kent Smith

S. Kent Smith also is an experienced trial attorney who has practiced in state and federal court since 1975. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Earlier in his legal career, Mr. Smith served as a Judge Advocate with the U.S. Marine Corps and distinguished himself as Chief Trial Counsel, Senior Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Military Judge, for which he received multiple awards for excellence. Mr. Smith also is a certified District Court Arbitrator and a N.C. Dispute Resolution Commission certified Superior Court and Family Financial Mediator, who frequently is selected by other attorneys to conduct settlement conferences in personal injury and other civil cases. His vast experience of more than forty years as trial counsel, judge, arbitrator and mediator provides him with a unique perspective for all sides of a lawsuit, and which enables him to be equally persuasive and effective as a negotiator and as a litigator. Mr. Smith is a member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, the North Carolina Bar Association and its Litigation and Disability Advocacy Sections, and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives. He is a charter member of the North Carolina Academy of Superior Court Mediators, and is a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. He has the “AV Preeminent” rating, the highest peer-reviewed rating given by Martindale Hubbell. For more information, go to www.martindale.com/ratings.

• Attorney/Partner

• North Carolina, 1975
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of North Carolina, 1985
• U.S. District Court Middle District of North Carolina, 1989
• Specialties and Certifications
• Certified District Court Arbitrator
• Certified Superior Court Mediator, N.C. Dispute Resolution Commission
• Certified Family Financial Mediator, N.C. Dispute Resolution Commission

• North Carolina Advocates for Justice (Member)
• North Carolina Bar Association (Member)
• North Carolina Bar Association, Litigation and Disability Advocacy Sections (Member)
• National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (Member)
• North Carolina Academy of Superior Court Mediators (Charter Member)
• National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (Member)