About Scott Daniel
Scott Daniel Smith built his legal foundation in Texas before adding specialized graduate training in Boston. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997. He then completed a J.D. at South Texas College of Law in 2001 and followed that with an LL.M. in Banking and Financial Law from Boston University School of Law in 2002.
His early years in practice combined courtroom work and matters involving financial institutions. Over time those strands have remained central to his career. He is admitted to practice in Texas, New York and the District of Columbia, and he has maintained active ties to professional organizations in Houston and statewide bar groups.
Smith’s memberships include the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association. Those affiliations reflect both trial work and an interest in financial litigation. Colleagues describe him as methodical in preparing cases and direct in court. He has handled contested matters that required both pleading strategy and detailed analysis of banking practices.
Education has continued to inform his day-to-day work. The LL.M. in Banking and Financial Law deepened his understanding of regulatory frameworks and contract structures that often figure in commercial disputes. He applies that training when addressing claims that involve lenders, loan documentation, and compliance questions. At the same time he draws on his trial experience when disputes move toward motion practice or trial.
Smith practices at Henneman Rau Kirklin & Smith LLP. He works on civil litigation matters that intersect with banking, finance and commercial law. His files typically involve creditor-debtor issues, contract disputes and litigation tied to financial services. He prepares pleadings, conducts discovery and takes depositions, and he handles hearings and trials when cases require it.
Outside the courtroom he participates in local bar events and continuing legal education programs. He has continued to engage with peers in Houston while maintaining the ability to practice in multiple jurisdictions. He currently practices at Henneman Rau Kirklin & Smith LLP, handling civil litigation and matters involving banks and financial institutions.
