Atty. Keith E. Smith
Keith Smith is a skilled trial lawyer known for his expertise in handling a wide variety of complex matters for both public entities and private clients. His practice areas spans complex commercial litigation including issues involving construction, securities/FINRA, employment, directors and officers, catastrophic injury and professional liability matters.
Construction & More Attorney · Serving Riverside, CA · 20+ Years Experience
Profile Summary
About Keith E. Smith at a Glance
Keith E. Smith is a Managing Partner based in Riverside, California, practicing at Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP. They have 20+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 2006. Their practice focuses on employment, real estate, class action, zoning, and securities. Admitted to practice in California (2006) and U.S. District Court, Central District of California (2006). Educated at California Western School of Law (J.D., 2006) and University of California, San Diego (B.A., 2002). Serves clients in Riverside, CA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Keith E. Smith
- Keith Smith is a skilled trial lawyer known for his expertise in handling a wide variety of complex matters for both public entities and private clients
- His practice areas spans complex commercial litigation including issues involving construction, securities/FINRA, employment, directors and officers, catastrophic injury and professional liability matters
- He also handles numerous matters involving sureties, including payment and performance bond claims, mechanic’s lien release bonds, litigation bonds, surety takeovers and defaults on construction projects
- Keith is regularly retained by public entities and private clients for his litigation prowess handling high exposure catastrophic injury matters
- These include traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, amputations and disfigurement claims
- Keith acts as National Coordinating Counsel for a major motion picture studio for all injury claims nationwide, is regularly retained as monitoring counsel by clients and insurers to oversee and then take to trial large exposure claims
- Under this umbrella are all facets of injury matters for motor carriers, public entities and private companies in growing out of transportation related issues
- He is a sought out speaker at regional and national conferences where he shares his knowledge and experience on cutting edge trial issues ranging from nuclear verdicts to the reptile theory
- In the construction arena, Keith regularly represents residential and commercial builders, public and private owners, construction managers and design professionals in complex construction law matters
- He has a proven record of results in matters involving almost every conceivable issue that can arise from a construction project
- This includes payment disputes, mechanic’s lien, stop notice, bond claims, construction defects, delay, acceleration and inefficiency claims, extra work, differing site, changed condition and change order claims, construction site injuries, bid protests, debarment proceedings and False Claims Act disputes
- He returned a defense verdict in one of the first construction cases to proceed to trial in California involving SB800, another first as that trial was completely paperless
- A compliment to Keith’s construction practice, he is also an adjunct professor at the University of La Verne Law School, where he teaches California Construction Law
- Both public and private entities enjoy the experience and fact that Keith handles employment issues and is conversant in not only the risk management but litigation results in this area of law
- This includes HR counseling, representation at EDD and pre-litigation agency hearings, and litigation of complex employment claims in court and in arbitration
- He has successfully handled matters involving wrongful termination, wage and hour, PAGA, discrimination, disability, and sexual harassment
- Keith litigates a diverse group of professional liability claims, including the representation of securities brokers, attorneys, home inspectors, public adjusters, real estate professionals, veterinarians, architects, engineers, and surveyors
- He is conversant and skilled in defending all sorts of habitability and hospitality issues which fall under this area of law, and has addressed issues for both public and private entities ranging from mold, occupational exposure to habitability
- Keith also handles national claims for Legionnaires’ disease and is regularly called upon to address outbreaks and risk prevention for his clients
- Newsroom News •Keith Smith Named to Los Angeles Business Journal's Top 100 Lawyers for 2026 Firm News, 4.20.26 •WSHB Elevates Ten Partners to Defined Equity Status Newsroom, 1.16.20 Events, Seminars & Speaking Engagements •Verdicts Gone Wild: Protecting Construction Professionals from Explosive Outcomes, ' Speaker, CLM Construction Conference, San Diego, CA, September 18, 2025 •Strategies for Preventing and Defending Legionnaires’ Disease Legal Claims, Speaker, Legionella: The Unseen Pathogen, Modern Prevention Strategies, Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 12 - 13, 2025 •Six Pain Points in Construction Contracts, Advanced-level CLE course instructor, Tackle the Trickiest Construction Contracts Conference, a virtual construction law conference for seasoned practitioners, June 5, 2025 •Navigating the Fallout: Lessons Learned from Nuclear Verdicts for Construction Professionals, Speaker, CLM Construction Conference, Huntington Beach, CA, September 20, 2024 •Emerging Trends in Defending Legionella and Mold Claims: Best Practices for Claims Avoidance & Risk Management, McGriff's Real Estate Edge Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2 - 4, 2019 Publications •No Cross-Complaint Needed: Contractor Can Fight Co-Defendant’s Summary Judgment Case Updates, 9.16.25 •Federal Circuit Clarifies Limits of Design Liability in GSA Contract Dispute Case Updates, 7.29.25 •California Extends PAGA Exemption for Construction Industry Employees Until 2038: A Win for Employers Article, 1.10.25 •The California Supreme Courts Rules Public Employers are Exempt from PAGA Actions and Certain Labor Code Provisions Case Updates, 10.1.24 •Unraveling the Complexity: Addressing the Hurdles of Unmanageable PAGA Claims in California 1.30.24 •Navigating California's New Employment Laws: A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses Article, 11.27.23 •Court Affirms Exclusion of PAGA Claims from Arbitration Case Updates, 10.26.23 •Design Immunity May Not Shield a Public Entity From Liability Where it Failed to Warn of a Known Danger Case Updates, 5.5.23 •Pay Arbitration Fees On Time or Prepare to Face a Jury Case Updates, 12.14.22 •Court Reporter Shortage Sparks Creative Measures and Widens Door For Blunders Article, 10.21.22 •Co-Author, Federal Circuit Clarifies Limits of Design Liability in GSA Contract Dispute, in Construction Defect Journal, September 25, 2025 •Co-Author, Extending the Exception: PAGA Exemption for Construction Industry Stretched to 2038, in Construction Claims Magazine, Spring 2025 •Author, Covid-19 Hits the Construction Industry, in Construction Claims Magazine, Summer 2020 Community Activities •Board of Directors for the March of Dimes (Inland Empire Chapter) •Event Chair, March of Dimes March for Babies Walk 2013 In the News •Keith Smith Named to Los Angeles Business Journal's Top 100 Lawyers for 2026 •Clean Sweep in Arbitration: Case Dismissed, Fees Recovered •No Cross-Complaint Needed: Contractor Can Fight Co-Defendant’s Summary Judgment •Federal Circuit Clarifies Limits of Design Liability in GSA Contract Dispute Honors & Recognitions •Named to Los Angeles Business Journal's Top 100 Lawyers List (2026) •Super Lawyers Rising Star (2015 - 2016)
Practice Areas Explained
Keith E. Smith's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Keith E. Smith handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in Riverside.
Employment Law in Riverside
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
Keith E. Smith is one of 167,770 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in California →
Real Estate Law in Riverside
Real estate attorneys handle home purchases, sales, commercial transactions, title disputes, and landlord-tenant matters.
Keith E. Smith is one of 313,729 real estate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse real estate attorneys in California →
Class Action in Riverside
Keith E. Smith is one of 26,226 class action attorneys indexed nationally. Browse class action attorneys in California →
Land Use & Zoning in Riverside
Keith E. Smith is one of 39,875 zoning attorneys indexed nationally. Browse zoning attorneys in California →
Securities Law in Riverside
Keith E. Smith is one of 64,075 securities attorneys indexed nationally. Browse securities attorneys in California →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in Riverside
Practicing law in California. Legal matters in California are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Riverside are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate California state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in California brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in California courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Riverside Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a Riverside-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
Looking for additional California attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Riverside or all attorneys in California.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in Riverside Choose Keith E. Smith
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish Keith E. Smith's practice in the field of employment, real estate, class action, zoning, and securities.
Decade-Tested Legal Experience
Keith E. Smith brings 20+ years of hands-on legal practice — enough to have navigated the recurring fact patterns, procedural traps, and negotiation dynamics that shape case outcomes.
Multi-State Bar Admission
Licensed in California and U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Keith E. Smith can represent clients in cases that span state lines or require counsel in multiple jurisdictions.
Broad Practice Area Coverage
Covering employment, real estate, and class action, Keith E. Smith can address the full spectrum of a client's legal needs without requiring referrals to separate specialists for each issue.
Local Presence in Riverside
A Riverside-based practice means Keith E. Smith attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
Case Types
Common Legal Issues Keith E. Smith Handles in Riverside
Below is a representative sample of the types of matters Keith E. Smith has experience with under California law. If your situation involves one of these case categories, this attorney may be well positioned to help you understand your options.
This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Contact Keith E. Smith directly to discuss the specifics of your situation.
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How People Find Keith E. Smith Online
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Keith E. Smith's Practice Areas & Specializations
Education & Law School Background
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