Atty. J. Craig Smith
J. Craig Smith, Esq., is a founding member of the Salt Lake City firm of Smith Hartvigsen, PLLC, where he practices in the areas of water law, land use, and redevelopment law.
Profile Summary
About J. Craig Smith at a glance
J. Craig Smith is a business, litigation, and environmental attorney based in Salt Lake City, Utah, practicing at Smith Hartvigsen PLLC. Educated at Brigham Young University (J.D., 1983). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Natural Resources Law (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Water Law (2026). Serands clients in Salt Lake City, UT and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- J. Craig Smith, Esq., is a founding member of the Salt Lake City firm of Smith Hartvigsen, PLLC, where he practices in the areas of water law, land use, and redevelopment law
- He has argued more than 30 appeals before the Utah Supreme Court
- Mr. Smith is listed in Utah Legal Elite, Superlawyers and Best Lawyers publications
- Major accomplishments include, lead counsel for the development of the Amangiri Resort in southern Utah and obtaining the passage of federal legislation to obtain water rights for Duchesne City
- He was a law clerk for the Hon. J. Robert Bullock for the 4th District of Utah, and an assistant city attorney for Park City, Utah
- Mr. Smith has written “Local Government Regulation and Bankruptcy: To Stay or Not to Stay,” Urban Lawyer 151-176, Volume 21, Number 1, Winter, 1989
- “Bankruptcy and Development Regulations,” Urban Land, April 1991
- “Ethics and the Government Lawyers,” Utah Bar Journal, Volume 6, Number 2, February 1993
- “Basic Utah Water Law,” Utah Bar Journal, Volume 7, Number 2, February 1994
- and “A Preference for Domestic Use in Utah: A Relic of The Past?” ABA Water Resources Committee Newsletter, Volume 12, No. 1, Fall 2009
- He earned his A.S. degree, with high honors, from the College of Eastern Utah, and his B.A. degree, magna cum laude, and J.D. degree, cum laude, from Brigham Young University
- Mr. Smith is a member of the American Bar Association and the Utah State Bar’s Sections on Urban, State and Local Government Law, Natural Resources and Litigation
- In 2004 the Utah State Bar, Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Law Section recognized him as Lawyer of the Year
Practice Areas Explained
J. Craig Smith's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases J. Craig Smith handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
J. Craig Smith is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Utah →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
J. Craig Smith is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Utah →
Environmental attorneys for regulatory compliance, contamination, land use, and natural resource law.
J. Craig Smith is one of 56,434 environmental attorneys indexed nationally. Browse environmental attorneys in Utah →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Utah
Practicing law in Utah. Legal matters in Utah are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Salt Lake City are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Utah state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Utah brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Utah courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Utah attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Salt Lake City or all attorneys in Utah.
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