About Janelle J.
Janelle J. Smith built the groundwork for her legal career at two Bay Area campuses. She earned a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2007 and completed her J.D. at the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2011. Those years framed an interest in courtroom work and federal practice that would shape her early steps as a lawyer.
After law school she joined Stall Parker LLP in 2012. There she handled a variety of matters and learned the rhythms of litigation practice: drafting pleadings, taking depositions and arguing motions. The job placed her in state court dockets and also gave her experience preparing work for federal filings.
In 2015 she took a partnership at Buffett-Kennedy & Smith LLP. The move marked a transition from junior trial work to a management role inside a firm. As partner she has overseen case strategies, coordinated teams of associates and taken lead on client interactions. Her courtroom work continued, and she expanded responsibilities to include overseeing appellate briefs and federal filings where appropriate.
Her professional admissions reflect that mix of state and federal work. She is licensed to practice in California and is admitted to appear before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Those credentials allow her to carry matters from local trial courts to the federal appellate level when cases require it.
Colleagues describe her as methodical in preparing a record and careful in framing issues for appeal. She applies a steady approach to case management and places emphasis on clarity in written work. Her background in both trial and appeals informs how she prepares a case at the outset, anticipating potential procedural and evidentiary hurdles.
Outside the office she has stayed connected to developments in California procedure and Ninth Circuit precedent. Her work involves coordinating with experts, managing discovery in complex matters and shepherding cases through the timelines of both state and federal courts.
She remains based in the Bay Area and practices through Buffett-Kennedy & Smith LLP, handling matters in California courts and in the Ninth Circuit. Her current practice centers on representing clients in matters before California state courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
