Richard A. Smith
Partner
Richard was born in east Arkansas in the late 1960s. He graduated from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock then attended Ouachita Baptist University in southwest AR. He graduated magna cum laude in 1992. He studied Business Administration, Economics and Communications while competing on the football and track teams. He then attended law school at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, graduating in 1995. Richard was a member of the school’s moot court competition team in 1995.
After passing the Bar Exam, Richard aided the Arkansas Attorney General in a suit involving the Arkansas State Police and records from all of the counties in Arkansas. Richard’s role was to organize, coordinate and facilitate the records and evidence for each Trooper. In the spring of 1996 he began a judicial clerkship at the trial court level working under Judge John Ward. Richard was in the courtroom and in judge’s chambers every day until the summer of 1999, gaining invaluable experience and insight into the court’s perspective and procedures. Richard entered private practice in July, 1999, and has continually maintained a state-wide defense practice ever since. He practiced at the Barber Law Firm for almost 5 years then moved his practice to Kilpatrick, Williams & Meeks, a predecessor to Smith, Williams, Hughes & Meeks, in 2004. Richard assumed the position of Managing Partner in 2011 upon the retirement of Joe E. Kilpatrick, Jr., a founder of the firm. Richard has defended cases all over Arkansas. He relishes being the ‘road team’ when he walks into a courtroom and prepares his defenses anticipating he will not get any favorable discretionary decisions from the bench. In his experience, when juries are presented with straight forward facts focused on legitimate disputes rather than frivolous side issues, their time is respected, and they are given a logical explanation in simple terms, Arkansans can be counted on to be fair.
Richard is married, with a step-son attending the United States Air Force Academy and a son attending pre-K. He is active in his church and is currently enjoying a sabbatical before he soon resumes his second career coaching youth sports.
richard@swhmlaw.com
