About Chris
Chris Smith earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Mississippi in 2006 and went on to receive a Juris Doctor from Mississippi College School of Law in 2009. He completed the conventional course of legal study and entered practice after law school, grounding his work in the routine demands of litigation and appellate procedure. His academic path placed him in the region where he would build most of his practice.
He is admitted to practice in both Mississippi and Florida. He also holds admissions in the Fifth and Eleventh U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, which allows him to handle matters beyond state trial courts. Those federal admissions broaden the venues where he appears and file appeals.
Over the years he has handled matters at trial and on appeal. He has prepared pleadings, taken depositions, argued motions and drafted appellate briefs. That combination of trial and appellate work has shaped his understanding of case strategy and courtroom procedure. The work has required attention to deadlines, precise legal writing and an ability to move between detailed factual development and broader legal argument.
Smith maintains current membership in professional associations and participates in the peer networks that keep lawyers in touch with changes in procedure and precedent. He has practiced in both state and federal forums, which has involved taking discovery, representing clients at hearings and presenting oral argument when cases proceed to higher courts. He has worked on matters arising under state law as well as issues that implicate federal appellate jurisdiction.
He practices at Smith & Holder, PLLC, where he represents clients in matters filed in the jurisdictions to which he is admitted. Colleagues describe him as steady in court and careful in written work, preferring clear legal analysis to rhetorical flourish. His practice balances courtroom appearances with appellate advocacy, and he handles litigation that progresses through the full cycle of trial and potential appeal. He currently practices at Smith & Holder, PLLC, handling matters in both state and federal courts.
