Steve Smith
Contact Info
Profile Description
As an independent arbitrator, mediator and consultant, Steve Smith handles complex international and domestic commercial disputes. He has served as arbitrator, mediator, and expert witness in major proceedings before the world’s leading arbitration and mediation institutions and in US Federal Courts. Claims in his ADR cases have ranged from $1 million to over $200 million, and over $1 billion in cases where he has acted as counsel.
Smith brings to his practice nearly three decades of in house counsel corporate legal and senior management experience in the world’s largest aerospace and defense company,* where he handled a multitude of disputes involving high technology products and services.
Steve is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and a member of the governing body of the American Arbitration Association/International Centre for Dispute Resolution. He is a U.S. delegate to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR.
Steve is also on the rosters/panels of major dispute resolution organizations in the United States and abroad. He is internationally recognized for his efforts to improve arbitration processes. While achieving outstanding results, his effective case management strategies—both as arbitrator and mediator—have also made large dispute resolutions much more timely and cost efficient. As a leading proponent for cost and schedule efficiency he has lectured extensively on those subjects worldwide to corporate management and legal groups.
Professional Experience
Acted as arbitrator/mediator or counsel in numerous large, complex, multi-party commercial and governmental matters ranging from millions to billions of dollars, including aerospace, aviation, national security, breach of contract, software licensing and development, construction, franchising, toxic torts, discrimination class action, fraud, intellectual property, patent infringement, corporate governance, insurance recovery, trade secrets, technology transfer, antitrust, business torts, negligence, gross negligence, intentional misconduct, misappropriation of trade secrets, white collar and employment disputes involving U.S. and non-U.S. parties and laws
Broad and deep experience in high-tech, aerospace and defense contract and subcontract formation, litigation, mediation, arbitration, administrative proceedings and bid protests, some involving contracts/programs exceeding $1 billion
Extensive work on domestic and international joint ventures and in U.S. national security matters involving export/import and programs classified at DOD secret, top-secret and special access required levels
Served over 25 years as General Counsel/Vice President and General Counsel for large divisions of Lockheed Martin Corporation, the world’s largest aerospace and defense company, and senior advisor to highest level business executives on very wide variety of matters including, but not limited to, new business, commercial and government contracts, all types of commercial and government disputes including domestic and international arbitration, litigation and mediation, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, antitrust, employment matters, national security, compliance, internal investigations and trade secrets
Practice Areas
Mediations and Arbitrations
Jeff has acted in many complex mediations and arbitrations. He has been able to facilitate settlement for many of these cases. In addition, he has presided over many arbitration hearings and has rendered numerous decisions. Jeff through his experience has continually demonstrated an ability to affect significant change through simplifying complex challenges to meet desired outcomes. Throughout his career, this skill set has served him well; both in business and in the area of ADR.
Jeff has conducted over 500+ mediations throughout his ADR career and has achieved a settlement rate of over 70%. He has mediated cases on behalf of FSCO, conducted settlement conference mediations and has provided expert opinions related to various cases. Throughout his career, Jeff has also conducted over 200+ FSCO arbitration hearings and pre-hearings. In order to stay current of the latest decisions and legislation, Jeff subscribes to numerous RSS Feed updates in addition to reading decisions of cases once they are published.
Entrepreneurship and Technology
Jeff’s wealth of experience in entrepreneurship and technology, together with his dispute resolution experience has provided him the opportunity to write several papers, including: “Workplace Culture Influences in Settling Disputes”; “Promoting Mediation to Businesses as a Viable Alternative to Court”; and “The Role of Technology in Mediation.”
Education
| May 2017-present | Founder and Principal, Steve Smith ADR LLC |
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| 2011-May 2017 | Member, Sherman and Howard, LLC, where served as Co-chair/Vice Chair of Space Law and International Arbitration practice groups |
| 1995-2011 | Vice President and General Counsel, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company |
| 1995-2000 | Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Lockheed Martin Corporation |
| 1989-2005 | General Counsel, Martin Marietta Astronautics Group |
| 1987-1989 | General Counsel, Martin Marietta Data Systems |
| 1985-1987 | Assistant General Counsel (Corporate HQ), Martin Marietta Corporation |
| 1981-1985 | Assistant General Counsel, Martin Marietta Astronautics (HQ) |
| 1977-1981 | Law Firm, Zuckert, Scoutt & Rasenberger focusing on aviation and government contracts (Washington, DC) |
Education
| 1973 | B.A., Georgetown University |
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| 1977 | J.D., Georgetown University |
| Editor, Law Review |
Professional Licenses
| 1977 | Admitted to the Bar, Virginia |
|---|---|
| 1978 | Admitted to the Bar, District of Columbia |
| 1979 | Supreme Court of the United States |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C., 10th, 4th and 8th Circuits | |
| 1990 | Admitted to the Bar, Colorado |
| U.S. District Courts for Colorado, Virginia, DC | |
| (Active) | Currently licensed in Colorado |
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