Preston Smith is a Senior Associate in the firm's Commercial Litigation and White Collar Defense & Investigations practices. Preston represents companies and executives in commercial litigation in state and federal courts, and in government investigations pursued by the Department of Justice and other regulators. He also regularly represents clients in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, where he is a member of the Civil Rules Committee and the Civil Jury Instructions Committee.
Preston has litigated cases spanning contractual disputes, consumer products issues, including the Consumer Product Safety Act and the District of Columbia’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act, contractual and other business disputes, environmental torts, and real estate litigation up to trial and appeal, and advises on transactions. He has conducted direct and cross-examinations of fact and expert witnesses, argued motions, and has worked on complex discovery matters.
Experience
- Major religious organization in an investigation by federal prosecutors involving allegations of visa fraud and forced labor.
- Wolverine World Wide in a putative class action lawsuit that sought property damage and medical monitoring and personal injury suits related to PFAS chemicals and drinking water in Western Michigan.
- BP in climate change lawsuits filed by state and local governments and by a fishermen's trade association, alleging that greenhouse gas-driven sea level rise is currently damaging their coastal communities and civil infrastructures.
- Sales executive of pharmaceutical manufacturer as counsel in criminal antitrust investigation by DOJ and civil investigations by several state attorneys general.
- North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP in challenge to voter identification law as violating the Voting Rights Act.
Perspectives
Recognition
Credentials
Education
- J.D., American University, Washington College of Law, 2013, cum laude
- B.S., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
Clerkships
- Superior Court of the District of Columbia, The Honorable Rhonda Reid Winston
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, The Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee