Samantha C. Smith represents clients in all phases of civil litigation in federal and state courts, with experience at both the trial and appellate levels. Samantha has represented clients spanning financial services, healthcare, and consumer products industries in securities class actions, agency actions, tort claims, and other complex commercial litigation.
Samantha maintains a robust pro bono practice representing both nonprofit organizations and individuals on issues covering civil and constitutional rights, reproductive freedom, free speech, disability claims, police misconduct, and environmental protection before the Supreme Court, federal courts of appeals, and trial courts.
Samantha returned to Arnold & Porter following a fellowship at the Supreme Court of the United States, where she focused on translating specialized expertise to the courts, ranging from highly complex science and technology to soft sciences like history and linguistics. She conducted the first comprehensive review of the use of Federal Rule of Evidence 706 in the past 30 years, during which she surveyed and interviewed district court judges across the country regarding their use of Rule 706 court-appointed experts, as well as technical advisors, special masters, jury questions, and concurrent testimony; their preferences for learning about specialized fields relevant to their case; and the most effective tools they have seen in conveying expertise in litigation. Samantha drafted the chapter on these topics for the upcoming new edition of the authoritative Manual for Complex Litigation. Prior to her fellowship, she clerked with the Honorable Eli Richardson in the Middle District of Tennessee.
Samantha has been a guest presenter or lecturer at the Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules, Case Western University Law School, Vanderbilt University, and Vanderbilt University Medical School. She has been published in the American University Law Review and the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law.
Prior to joining the firm, Samantha was a fellow with the Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics. She graduated from Vanderbilt Law School, where she served as Editor in Chief for the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, placed highly in moot court and mock trial competitions, was class marshal, and received the Weldon B. White prize for best scholarship. She also completed a judicial externship with then-Presiding Justice David E. Nahmias of the Supreme Court of Georgia.
Experience
- Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the Conservator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in a complex, shareholder class-action multi-week federal jury trial regarding shareholders' challenges to the funding agreement between FHFA and the U.S. Treasury.
- Briefed and obtaining partial reversal in an Eighth Circuit qualified immunity appeal involving an unconstitutional stop, detention, and search of innocent civilians that were misidentified as shoplifting suspects.
- National Parks Conservation Association in a partial summary judgment victory for the protection of Biscayne National Park under the Administrative Procedure Act.
- Retailer in a CPSC investigation for the alleged post-recall sale of products.
- Toy Retailer against putative class action alleging certain products are unlawful under the California Unfair Competition Law.
- Non-profit healthcare organization in FCA litigation related to provision of Medicaid services.
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School, 2022
- B.A., Economics & History, Bioethics and Organizational Leadership, Vanderbilt University, 2019, cum laude, with honors
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee
Government & Military Service
- Supreme Court Fellow, Supreme Court of the United States
Clerkships
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, The Honorable Eli Richardson
Activities
- Masters of Genetic Counseling Advisory Board, Vanderbilt School of Medicine (2017–2022)
- Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance (2009–present)
- Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (2022-present)