Mark L. Smith, Associate

Mark L. Smith is a litigation associate who concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation, including class actions, mass tort actions, consumer claims, antitrust, multi-national litigation, governmental investigations, and securities cases.

Mr. Smith has represented a wide range of clients, from multi-national Fortune 500 companies to smaller product and service providers. Some of his significant representations include the defense of Microsoft Corp., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, PPG Industries, Bayer, Guitar Center, Wachovia Bank, People’s Bank, ADAC Laboratories, C.R. England Trucking Co., eStyle.com, Spieker Properties, and MedQuist Inc.

Mr. Smith also has represented clients in governmental investigations, including Microsoft Corp., SDL, Inc., P & O Princess Cruises, Pillsbury, Huntsman Chemical, MedQuist Inc., and Diageo (Seagram’s). In addition to representing clients in existing litigation, Mr. Smith offers training on best practices for document management, e-discovery preparation, compliance with federal and international antitrust laws, and foreign privacy issues.

Honors and Awards

Activities

Mr. Smith’s memberships and activities include:

• Co-chair of the firm’s Cross-Border Litigation Sub-Group 
• Vice-chair of the firm’s eDiscovery Practice Group
• The Central District of California Pro Bono Panel 
• The Los Angeles County Bar Association 
• The American Bar Association

Education

Speeches and Publications

• Developing and Planning Your eDiscovery Strategies, LegalTech Los Angeles 2007, Jun. 20, 2007
• Navigating Data Privacy Issues for Multinational Collection and Review, LegalTech New York 2008, Feb. 5, 2008
• Navigating Cross Border Conflicts Involving the Transfer of Electronically Stored Information: Privacy versus Disclosure, LegalTech Los Angeles 2008, June. 26, 2008
• eDiscovery Issues and Trends: Perspectives from the Bench, Law Firm, Provider & OGC, LegalTech New York 2009
• eDiscovery Issues and Trends, LegalTech Los Angeles 2009, Jun. 25, 2009
• ESI: California’s New Rules, Daily Journal, Aug. 2009
• eDiscovery: The Intersection of Stacks and Haystacks, SCALL Annual Meeting, Oct. 22, 2009
• California’s New Electronic Discovery Act: What Every Counsel with Litigation or Potential Litigation in California Should Know, Oct. 28, 2009
• Cooperation Between Counsel: Does Cooperation Come at the Expense of Zealous Advocacy?, Bridgeport CE, Nov. 6, 2009 
• Navigating the New World of eDiscovery, Bridgeport CE, Nov. 6, 2009 (Moderator)

Mr. Smith also regularly provides presentations and instructs continuing education courses on litigating California’s Unfair Competition Laws, best practices under the new federal discovery rules, managing multi-national litigation, recent developments in federal and California antitrust laws, and the effects of foreign privacy issues on U.S. litigation.