Michael S. Smith

Mickey Smith has practiced law in Florida for more than 30 years. After graduating from the Duke University School of Law, Mickey began representing insurance companies and large corporations. He ultimately became a senior shareholder at Kubicki Draper and concentrated his practice on the defense of claims involving serious personal injury, wrongful death, and insurance bad faith. After trying over 100 cases for insurance companies, he became increasingly frustrated because his talents were merely being used to minimize or defeat victims' claims. Mickey wanted to use his talents to help ordinary people who had valid claims. On May 1, 2002, Mickey joined Slawson Cunningham Whalen & Smith, P.L., as a shareholder. He refused to represent insurance companies and strictly limited his practice to representing victims with significant claims.His dream of practicing law with his best friends, Gary Lesser and Joe Landy, was fulfilled in August 2004, when Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith was formed. Mickey's practice continues to be limited to representing individuals and families who have suffered serious personal injury, wrongful death, or have been victimized because of the bad faith practices of an insurance company.

Without question, Mickey's vast experience in litigating and trying some of the insurance industry's worst cases is a major asset in representing victims with significant claims. Since focusing his efforts on the interests of the injured in 2002, Mickey has maintained an active trial practice and has achieved verdicts and settlements for his clients that total in the tens of millions of dollars. His peers have named him one of The Best Lawyers in America.

Mickey was born in Williamson, West Virginia, in 1960. Mickey excelled in high school and received a merit scholarship to attend Virginia Tech. He was thrilled since neither of his parents could attend college. Mr. Smith majored in Engineering at Virginia Tech and received his degree, magna cum laude, in 1982, graduating with a 3.70-grade point average (3.96 in his major). His hard work in college was rewarded with a merit scholarship to the Duke University School of Law. While in law school, he was elected to the prestigious Order of the Coif, based on his outstanding academic achievements at Duke. Mickey received his degree in 1985, with high honors.