J. Craig Smith - Bridgeport, CT
Attorney at Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC
Product Liability Lawyers in Bridgeport, CT
350 Fairfield Avenue Suite 501 Bridgeport, CT 06604
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
27
Years
Experience
Bridgeport Product Liability Lawyer
Updated: 03/02/2026
Areas of Practice
- Product Liability
- Personal Injury
- Civil Rights
Attorney Information
Overview
Craig Smith specializes in cases involving complex legal questions and the vindication of plaintiffs’ rights at both the trial and appellate level. Craig is perhaps best known nationally for representing multiple victims from across the US who have been burned by exploding cooking spray cans, as well as for appearing on behalf of his cousin in a Georgia case before the United States Supreme Court in 2009. This case, Mohawk Industries, Inc. v. Carpenter, 130 S. Ct. 599, 175 L.Ed. 2d 458 (2009) went into the history books both as Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s first written opinion, and also as a substantial victory for civil rights plaintiffs battling large corporate defendants who see to use the appellate process to delay trial.
Among a number of multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts, other representative matters include an appearance in front of the Connecticut Supreme Court in a case against a trucking company for the wrongful death of a truck mechanic, a substantial verdict against Ford Motor Company involving fraud in South Carolina, and a $1.7 million verdict against the Town of Darien, CT on behalf of a motorist who was struck by a tree on a town road.
Before entering the legal profession, Craig had a successful acting career in the theater, movies, and television. His appearances include roles in the movie Queen, the sequel to Roots, with Martin Sheen and Halle Berry; a regional tour of A Streetcar Named Desire; and the television show The Heat of the Night. Craig hails from Woodstock, Georgia.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- National Board of Trail Advocacy Certification, 2013-Present
- Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2010 & 2011
- Best Lawyers
Other Sources of Feedback About J. Craig Smith
Included on the 2026 Connecticut Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Connecticut Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Connecticut Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Connecticut Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Connecticut Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Connecticut Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Connecticut Super Lawyers list
Education
-
Legal Education
-
University of South Carolina School of Law,
Columbia,
South Carolina
Honors: Best Oralist (runner-up), John Marshall National Technology Law Competition
Honors: Order of the Barristers, University of South Carolina Moot Court Team 1997-1998
-
University of South Carolina School of Law,
Columbia,
South Carolina
-
Non Legal Education
- DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Attorney
Representative Cases
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Important U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding attorney-client privilege for a man suing his former employer
-
$1.7 million verdict upheld for a man injured when a tree fell on his car
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Favorable Decision in a case for a college cheerleader who became a quadriplegic after falling during practice
Bar Admissions
- South Carolina, 1999
- Connecticut, 2003
- Georgia, 2006
- U.S. District Court District of South Carolina, 1999
- U.S. District Court District of Connecticut, 2004
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 2007
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 2008
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2008
Other Affiliations
- Greater Bridgeport Bar Association (Member)
- Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- American Association for Justice (Member)
Photo
Videos
Contact
350 Fairfield Avenue
Suite 501
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Fax: 203-368-3244
Email: Send a message
Website: https://www.koskoff.com
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
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