Dr. Smoger has represented a wide range of clients in personal injury and consumer litigation with a special interest in birth and early childhood injuries, injuries related to the brain and neurological system, and injuries caused by errant pharmaceuticals or environmental exposure, including their carcinogenic and adverse immunological properties. He has been a frequent lecturer for national and international legal, scientific and medical conferences on such diverse topics as class actions, closed-head injuries, cognitive dysfunction, the art of cross examination, Federal and state law regarding the use of expert witnesses, and exposure to a diverse array of substances, including lead, dioxin, solvents, chlorine gas, and various pharmaceuticals.

Lead Counsel

He has served as a lead counsel in a number of significant cases, such as the representation of the people of Times Beach, groundwater contamination by Teledyne, Fairchild, and IBM, chlorine gas exposure in Alberton, Montana, childhood lead contamination in Herculaneum, Mo. and consumer class actions ranging from the fraud of “light” cigarettes to the option arm mortgage loans that almost brought down our financial system.  He successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court the right of Vietnam veterans to bring suit for Agent Orange exposure, although the case was later dismissed for other reasons. He has also represented a wide range of amici before the U.S. Supreme Court, including such diverse groups as the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine, the AMA, the Center for Auto Safety, and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. 

Board  & Leadership Roles

Dr. Smoger currently serves on the boards of Public Citizen, Public Justice (as a past President) and Physicians for Human Rights, as a trustee of the Pound Civil Justice Institute, and as Chair of Legal Affairs for the American Association for Justice (“AAJ”). Previously, he served on the Board of Governors of AAJ (1996 – 2006) and as a Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Toxic Torts, Hazardous Substances and Environmental Law committee (1993-2001).  He also is a co-sponsor of a national law school competition (the “Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Essay Contest”).  In 2004 Dr. Smoger was named by Public Justice as a finalist for their Trial Lawyer of the Year award.  He has been acknowledged every year as a “Super Lawyer” since that program began.

Trial Lawyer of the Year

In 2012, Dr. Smoger received the Public Justice Foundation’s Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for his role as lead trial counsel when he represented 16 children suffering from lead exposure caused by the nearby Doe Run lead smelter.  After four months of trial, the jury awarded in excess of $358,000,000, which was the largest collectible verdict in the history of Missouri.

Education

Dr. Smoger earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Lycoming College (Summa Cum Laude) before he undertook graduate studies at Stanford University and the U. of Pennsylvania, where he passed his orals with distinction at the age of 21 and subsequently was awarded his Ph.D.  He received his Juris Doctor’s Degree from the U. of California – Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law.  He is a member of the bars of CA, TX, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

To see Dr. Smoger’s complete resume click here.