About Alan C.
Alan C. Smith graduated from Stanford University in 1993 and earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1996. Those years framed his legal formation. He left law school into a market that prized transactional skill and courtroom readiness. The credentials placed him among peers entering practice at a time of rapid change in corporate law.
His career is identified most visibly by his role at Fenwick & West LLP, where he serves as Chair of the Corporate Group. In that capacity he oversees teams that handle a range of corporate matters. He works on transactions that involve private and public companies, and he advises corporate boards and executives on governance and structuring questions.
Mr. Smith is admitted to practice in Washington and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He maintains membership in the State Bar of Washington. Those admissions allow him to represent clients in state matters and in federal appellate matters across the Ninth Circuit.
Colleagues describe him as steady under pressure. He balances immediate deal demands with attention to the longer-term implications of corporate choices. In-house counsel and outside directors who have worked with him note that he explains legal trade-offs clearly and frames options in business terms. He is known for an approach that privileges clarity and durability in corporate documents.
At Fenwick & West, his responsibilities include supervising deal teams, advising on governance, and helping clients prepare for complex transactions. He also mentors junior lawyers and participates in internal efforts to coordinate cross-practice resources. The corporate practice at the firm touches technology, life sciences, and other sectors that rely on specialized transactional work.
Outside firm leadership, he participates in professional activities through the State Bar of Washington. He keeps current on regulatory and case law developments that affect corporate practice in the Pacific Northwest and the Ninth Circuit. As of 2026 he continues to manage corporate matters for both established companies and emerging enterprises, focusing his practice on transactional work and corporate governance.
