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WILLIAM C. SMART (HE/HIM/HIS), ATTORNEY (RET.)

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Ruiz & Smart continues to build on Will Smart’s legacy, the trailblazing trial lawyer who decades ago founded our team. Will received the designation “Super Lawyer” for more than 20 years.

Will retired from active practice in April 2024.

His well-known cases included those involving insurance bad faith, traumatic brain injury, medical malpractice and securities fraud. Will handles cases for individuals, groups, corporations or professionals. He litigated matters in Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Montana, Ohio, the Shorelines Hearings Board, and the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals as well as various tribal courts.

Mr. Smart also devoted his time to land and water conservation through the Trust for Public Land and the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

Notable Cases

  • Merriman v. American Guarantee, 198 Wn. App. 594, 396 P.3d 351 (2017)

  • Bird v. Best Plumbing Group, LLC, 287 P.3d 551, Wash., October 25, 2012 (NO. 86109-9)

  • Bird v. Best Plumbing Group, LLC, 161 Wash.App. 510, 260 P.3d 209 (2011)

  • Dussault ex rel. Walker-Van Buren v. American Intern. Group, Inc., 123 Wash.App. 863, 99 P.3d 1256 (Wash.App. Div. 1 Nov 01, 2004) (NO. 53513-7-I)

  • Piper v. Department of Labor and Industries, 120 Wash.App. 886, 86 P.3d 1231 (Wash.App. Div. 3 Mar 30, 2004) (NO. 21526-1-III)

  • Halverson v. Skagit County, 139 Wash.2d

  • Brown v. Snohomish County Physicians Corp., 120 Wash.2d 747, 845 P.2d 334, 61 USLW 2523 (Wash. Feb 11, 1993) (NO. 59018-4)

  • State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Hooks, 787 P.2d 906 (Wash. Feb 22, 1990) (NO. 54950-8)

  • Kenworthy v. Pennsylvania General Ins. Co., 113 Wash.2d 309, 779 P.2d 257 (Wash. Sep 21, 1989) (NO. 54950-8, 55149-9)

  • Meaney v. Dodd, 111 Wash.2d 174, 759 P.2d 455 (Wash. Jul 15, 1988) (NO. 53891-3)

  • Mutual of Enumclaw Ins. Co. v. Cox, 110 Wash.2d 643, 757 P.2d 499 (Wash. Jun 09, 1988) (NO. 53003-3)

  • Orion Corp. v. State, 109 Wash.2d 621, 747 P.2d 1062, 18 Envtl. L. Rep. 20,697 (Wash. Dec 17, 1987) (NO. 52165-4, 52529-3)

  • Meaney v. Dodd, 47 Wash.App. 386, 735 P.2d 100 (Wash.App. Div. 1 Apr 08, 1987) (NO. 17458-4-I)

  • Rodriguez v. Williams, 107 Wash.2d 381, 729 P.2d 627 (Wash. Dec 11, 1986) (NO. 52535-8)

  • Rodriguez by Brennan v. Williams, 42 Wash.App. 633, 713 P.2d 135 (Wash.App. Div. 1 Jan 21, 1986) (NO. 13166-4-I)

  • Evans v. Steinberg, 40 Wash.App. 585, 699 P.2d 797 (Wash.App. Div. 1 May 09, 1985) (NO. 13647-O-I)

  • Provost v. Puget Sound Power and Light Co., 103 Wash.2d 750, 696 P.2d 1238 (Wash. Mar 14, 1985) (NO. 51139-0)

  • Orion Corp. v. State, 103 Wash.2d 441, 693 P.2d 1369, 22 ERC 1057 (Wash. Jan 11, 1985) (NO. 49941-1)

  • Halverson v. Skagit County, 42 F.3d 1257 (9th Cir.(Wash.) Dec 12, 1994) (NO. 93-35783)

  • Hiner v. Longstaff, 543 F.Supp. 1123 (W.D.Wash. Apr 13, 1982) (NO. C80-1238B)

Past Employment

  • Keller Rohrback L.L.P, Tier I Partner, 1977–2019

Education

  • Princeton University, B.A., cum laude, 1974

  • Willamette University, Juris Doctor, 1977

Bar Court Admissions

  • 1978, Washington

  • 1978, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington

  • 1993, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

  • 2004, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington

Recognitions

  • Super Lawyers 2001–2021

  • Super Lawyers Top 100 2020–2021

Professional & Civic Involvement

  • King County Bar Association, Member

  • American Bar Association, Member

  • American Board of Trial Advocates, Member

  • Washington State Association for Justice, Member

  • American Trial Lawyers Association, Member

  • Defense Trial Lawyers Association, Member; Past Trustee

  • Past Chairman, Washington State Board, The Trust for Public Land

  • Member, National Advisory Council, The Atlantic Salmon Federation

Publications

  • Strict Liability and Criminal Sanctions: The 1971 Revisions to the Oregon Criminal Code,” 13 Willamette Law Journal 365, 1977.

  • Contributor to WSAJ (formerly WSTLA).

  • “Policy Limit Settlement Brings Measure of Redemption Out of Tragedy for First Generation Americans,” WSTLA Trial News, July/August 2000

  • “Insurance Bad Faith Settlement Is Successful Sequel to Wrongful Death Case,” WSTLA Trial News, January 2000 (Contributed with Andrew Bergh)

  • “Private Attorneys and EEOC Team Up to Combat Sexual Harassment, Retaliation in Aerospace Industry,” WSTLA Trial News, January 2001, Volume 36, No. 5

  • “Race Discrimination Claim Converts to Insurance Bad Faith Case,” WSTLA Trial News, 2003

  • Tort Law Update: Rising Above Tort Deform: WSTLA CLE, November 2003

  • “New Challenges to the Settlement of Multi-Party Cases”

  • Insurance Bad Faith Claims in Washington: Lorman Seminar, July 2004