In 2003 the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles named Mr. Smith "Appellate Lawyer of the Year," based on his work on the new plain-English jury instructions and on two cigarette case victories in the California Supreme Court on behalf of smokers, Myers v. Philip Morris Companies, Inc. (2002) 28 Cal.4th 828 (reinstated smoker's suit to allow recovery for tobacco company misconduct before 1988), and Naegele v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (2002) 28 Cal.4th 856 (reinstated smoker's suit to allow recovery for adding chemicals to tobacco 1988-1997).

From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Smith served under appointment by the Chief Justice of California on the California Judicial Council Task Force on Jury Instructions-Civil, preparing the plain-English jury instructions (CACI) released in 2003.

1990-present: Amicus Curiae Committee of the Consumer Attorneys of California.

1985-present: California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, an organization that comments on rules and decisions affecting appellate practice and maintains a regular dialogue with appellate judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the California Supreme Court and the California Courts of Appeal.

1994: Presidential Award of Merit (Consumer Attorneys of California) for presenting the annual statewide seminar, "What's New in Tort and Trial Practice."

1993-1997: Co-chair of the Appellate Courts Committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco.

1992-1998: Contributing member of the Editorial Board for the Consumer Attorneys Forum.

1976-1979: Founding co-chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Appellate Courts Committee.

1983-1986: Editor, San Francisco Trial Lawyer.

Mr. Smith has served as a Board Member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (1994-1998), and is a member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) and the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA) (former Board Member).