Todd A. Smith - Chicago, IL

Overview

Chicago lawyer Todd A. Smith has won some of the largest multi-million dollar jury awards and settlements in catastrophic personal injury, mass tort class actions, aviation litigation, product liability, wrongful death, medical malpractice, trucking litigation, professional negligence and premises liability.

A founding partner of Smith LaCien LLP, Todd regularly confronts powerful corporations, insurance companies, hospitals, and government agencies on behalf of the everyday people who are his clients. He has achieved more than $2 billion in settlements and verdicts, and has attained more than 100 settlements and verdicts that exceed $1 million. A founding partner of Power Rogers & Smith, P.C., he left in 2020 to launch Smith LaCien LLP with his partner Brian LaCien.

"Early in my career, I learned that working to have a deep understanding of a client's situation would lead to more effective representation," Todd said. "I try to help clients during their most vulnerable time while seeking new ways to bring them relief and justice."

Todd's extensive bar leadership has included service as president of several bar associations including the Illinois State Bar Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now the American Association for Justice) and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He is an elected member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, International Society of Barristers, American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only group of the top 500 trial lawyers in the world. He has been named to the 2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America.

Todd has won numerous awards for his representation of his clients and trial success, including being named to "The Best Lawyers in America" annually since 1995. He has repeatedly been listed at or near the top of the Chicago Lawyer magazine survey of multimillion-dollar personal injury settlements, including one as a top lawyer with $70 million in recovery for his clients. From the American Association for Justice, he received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2009 and their highest honor, the Leonard Ring Award, in 2015.

A native of Evanston, Ill., Todd has a B.A. from Kansas University, an M.B.A. from Northwestern University, and a J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. He is the recipient of the "Medal of Excellence" and the "Damen Award in Law," a university-wide recognition from Loyola.

As a result of his success for his clients, Todd has been featured in numerous publications including Chicago Lawyer Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, USA Today, Chicago Magazine, and the New York Times, among others.