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Vernon A. Smith |
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Biography of Vernon A. Smith
Vern Smith is widely recognized for his tenacious approach to defending DUI cases. He is a founding member of the National College for DUI Defense, and was one of the first lawyers in the country to be Board Certified in DUI defense by that organization.
He is also a member of the following organizations:
- The Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Board of Governors 2001-2002)
- The Washington Foundation for Criminal Justice, a state organization dedicated to DUI defense
- Washington State Bar Association.
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A 1975 graduate of Johns Hopkins University, and recipient of a law degree from the University of Puget Sound Law School (Magna Cum Laude 1987), Vern has over 20 years of experience defending DUIs and has well earned his reputation as a tenacious trial advocate in over 1,000 DUI and criminal cases, beginning as a Staff Attorney for the Seattle-King County Public Defenders Association, and is a graduate of the rigorous National Institute for Trial Advocacy. He received certification in administering Standardized Field Sobriety Tests in 1996, and again in 2001. Vern was named "Super Lawyer" by Washington Law & Politics in both 2001 and 2007.
A nationally recognized authority on DUI Defense, Vern has lectured or conducted workshops for other lawyers on such diverse topics as "Cross-examination of the Arresting Officer," "The DataMaster," "Cross-examination of the State's Breath Test Expert," "Jury Selection in DUI Cases," "Winning Administrative License Suspension Hearings Before the Department of Licensing," as well as lecturing on significant changes in Washington's DUI laws.
Vern has received Certifications of Appreciation or Recognition from the following organizations:
The National College for DUI Defense
- The University of Washington Law School Foundation
- The Northwest College for DUI Defense
- The Washington Foundation For Criminal Justice
- The Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
- The Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice
- The Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Vern is an avid pilot and lacrosse coach who has won three Washington State championships at the high school level. He is married and has three children and six grandchildren.
*The Supreme Court of Washington does not recognize certification of specialties in the practice of law, and certification is not a requirement to practice law in the state of Washington. |
