About Michele
Michele Smith graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law before beginning a career that blends courtroom work and civic involvement. She took the law degree and entered a practice environment where trial work and advocacy were daily responsibilities. Her education provided the foundation for a steady presence in Oregon's civil litigation community.
Early in her career she joined local and national professional organizations that align with trial practice. She has been a member of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, the Lane County Bar Association, and the American Association for Justice since 2002. Those affiliations have given her regular contact with colleagues who handle contested civil matters and products-related claims.
Her involvement in bar and court committees stretches back more than a decade. She has served as an officer of the Oregon State Bar Products Liability Executive Committee since 2012, a role that places her in regular discussions about strategies and developments in products litigation. Since 2013 she has been active with the Campaign for Equal Justice, supporting access to civil representation for low- and moderate-income Oregonians. Beginning in 2014 she joined the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon Lawyer Admission Fee Fund Committee, participating in oversight of funds and procedures connected to federal admissions.
Beyond professional committees, she has participated in community initiatives. She founded SAIL Housing, an organization supporting independent living for adults with developmental disabilities, and served as its president from 2006 to 2013. That project connected legal know-how to nonprofit governance and local service delivery. The mix of professional committee work and nonprofit leadership has shaped how she views the role of lawyers in the community.
She practices at Johnson Johnson & Schaller, PC. Her caseload has included product liability and other civil litigation matters. Colleagues describe her approach as practical and focused on case preparation, from discovery through trial. She continues committee work while handling trials and filings at the firm, balancing court schedules with bar responsibilities. Her current practice addresses product liability and civil litigation matters.
