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R. Pete Smith
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Mr. Smith's practice consists primarily of business litigation, commercial transactions, bankruptcy, financial restructuring, and labor and employment law. He is a skilled litigator and adept problem-solver who handles a wide variety of complex business and financial matters.
In addition to understanding the law, Mr. Smith has hands-on experience with how businesses actually work, owning several banks and co-founding a computer firm that provided data processing services in every United States Bankruptcy Court in the nation.
Business Litigation. Lead attorney handing complex contract disputes, tort claims, tax matters, real estate matters, and RICO claims.
Insolvency and Commercial Bankruptcy. Representation of individuals, business entities, and banks in insolvency and bankruptcy-related matters. Representation of both debtors and creditors in Chapter 11 proceedings.
Construction Litigation. Representation of individuals and businesses involved in construction disputes.
Taxation. Representation of taxpayers in tax audits and in litigation in United States Tax Court, United States Court of Federal Claims, and United States District Courts.
Employment and Labor Law. Representation of both individuals and employers in employment-related litigation.
Criminal Law. Defensive representation in white-collar criminal proceedings
Licensed to practice in Kansas and Missouri
Admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court; United States Court of Federal Claims; United States Tax Court; United States Courts of Appeal for the Eighth, Tenth, and Federal Circuits; United States District Courts for Kansas and Western District of Missouri
Co-founder, Electronic Processing, Inc., 1964-1983. EPI, at the time of its sale in 1983, was processing over 65 percent of all Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases pending in the United States
Frequent lecturer and speaker to creditor, banking, and accounting groups and to lawyers
Member, American Association for Justice
Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy*
Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America*
Selected as Best of the Bar by The Kansas City Business Journal, 2003 to present*
Missouri Super Lawyers, 2005 to the present*
Best Lawyers in America, 1987 to present*
AV® Preeminent™ Rated by Martindale Hubbell*
Dean of The Trial Bar*
University of Missouri at Kansas City (J.D., 1970, magna cum laude, Order of Bench and Robe, Editor-in-chief, UMKC Law Review)
University of Kansas (B.S., 1967, Accounting, Beta Gamma Sigma, Business School International Honor Society)
Kansas City, Kansas Chamber of Commerce (former Chair, Board of Directors), Kansas City Area Economic Development Council, United Way, YMCA, American Red Cross (Wyandotte County, Kansas chapter), member, Boards of Directors)