Jay Smith’s litigation and trial experience spans a wide variety of substantive areas, principally divided between toxic tort and complex commercial litigation matters. Jay was part of the trial team in the first jury trial in the United States arising from groundwater contamination caused by leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs) and the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).
Jay frequently defends oil and chemical industry clients in actions alleging environmental and property damage claims. He represents clients in cases involving groundwater contamination claims by public and private water purveyors and well owners.
He has successfully defended chemical industry clients in a number of additional MTBE property damage lawsuits for over a decade. Jay also assisted oil industry clients in defending against claims of soil and groundwater contamination arising from abandoned oil wells and associated facilities.
Since late 2004, Jay has been engaged in defending a major oil company in 13 groundwater contamination lawsuits relating to the company’s former agricultural chemicals business. Jay works with experts in a variety of fields to assess and present complex issues of hydrogeology, groundwater modeling and contamination remediation.
In addition to his environmental toxic tort experience, Jay has defended clients in single and multiple plaintiff toxic substance personal injury and wrongful death litigation. He has also represented plaintiffs and defendants in traditional products liability litigation.
Jay represents clients (both as plaintiffs and defendants) in actions involving substantial breach of contract, business tort and unfair competition claims. He has served as lead trial counsel in lawsuits arising from real estate transactions.
Professional:
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
Bar & Court Admissions:
- California
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
Education:
- J.D., University of Southern California Law School, 1992
- B.S., Bowling Green, 1987, cum laude
Cost
Rate : $$$