R. Pete Smith
President & CEO
Executive Board Member
Pete 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 Electronic Processing, Inc. (EPI), a computer firm that provided data processing services in every United States Bankruptcy Court in the nation (1964-1983).
Mr. Smith also serves as the firm's Chairman, leads several of the firm's practice groups and is a frequent lecturer and speaker to creditor, banking, and accounting groups and to lawyers.
McDowell Rice Congratulates Our 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
McDowell Rice Announces its 2022 Executive Board and Officers
Pete Smith Named to Best Lawyers in America 2023
Pete Smith Chosen as Missouri Lawyers ICON
2021 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® Lists
Pete Smith Honored by Missouri Bar as one of “2020 Senior Counselors”
2020 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® Lists
Chairman Pete Smith Selected to 2020 Ingram's 250
2020 Executive Board Members, Officers, and Shareholders Announced at Annual Firm Meeting
Pete Smith Recognized by Ingram’s Magazine as a “Kansas City Legend”
The Role of the Accountant in the Divorce Process
2018 Executive Board Members and Shareholders Announced at Annual Meeting
Pete Smith Achieves Senior Fellow Status in Litigation Counsel of America
Pete Smith and Jonathan Margolies – The Best Lawyers in America©
‘We’re a little bit DIFFERENT’ - McDowell Rice brings libertarian ethos to law practice
Pete and LesLee Smith Receive “Justice for the Innocent Award” from The Midwest Innocence Project
MRSB announces 2016 Executive Board members
MRSB announces 2015 Executive Board members
Midwest Innocence Project President Pete Smith welcomes new volunteers
McDowell Rice successfully defends two appeals in dissolution of marriage action
McDowell Rice Smith & Buchanan - Ingrams Best Companies to Work For
Best Law Firm Awards & Recognition
Pete Smith guides business clients through stressful economic times
Distinction selection information
The Missouri Bar “Senior Counselor” Status - Achieved in 2020
Ingram's 250 Most Powerful and Influential Business Leaders: Included on list 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Best Divorce Lawyers in Kansas City, 2020
Selected to Serve as 2017-2018 Campaign Chair of United Way of Wyandotte County
Dean of The Trial Bar
Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy
Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
Selected as Best of the Bar by The Kansas City Business Journal, 2003, 2007, 2008
Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2005 to the present
Easy Lawyer: R. Pete Smith
Best Lawyers in America, 1987 to present
AV® Preeminent™ Rated by Martindale Hubbell
Legal Industry Outlook: Ingram's 2015
American Association for Justice
The Missouri Bar
Kansas Bar Association
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Pete has been an active supporter of community service over the years. A few of the organizations that Pete has contributed services and/or support to include:
- Midwest Innocence Project Kansas City (Past President)
- Kansas City Kansas Area Chamber of Commerce (former Chair, Board of Directors)
- Kansas City Area Economic Development Council
- United Way
- YMCA
- American Red Cross, Wyandotte County chapter (Member and Board of Directors)
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, magna cum laude, Accounting, Beta Gamma Sigma, Business School International Honor Society)