Biography of Vernon A. Smith

I have been defending those accused of DUIs for most of my 20 plus year career in the law, first as a public defender and since ’91 in private practice. I am not only one of the founding members of the National College for DUI Defense, but I am also one of the first lawyers in the nation to be Board Certified in DUI defense by that organization.* I am one of only 3 lawyers so certified in Washington currently.

I am also a member of the following organizations:

• The Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Board of Governors, 2001-2002)
• The Washington Foundation for Criminal Justice, a state organization dedicated to DUI defense
• Washington State Bar Association

A 1975 graduate of Johns Hopkins University, and recipient of a law degree from the University of Puget Sound Law School (Magna Cum Laude 1987), I have over 20 years experience defending DUIs. I have well earned my reputation as a tenacious trial advocate in well over 1,000 DUI and criminal cases, beginning as a Staff Attorney for the Seattle-King County Public Defenders Association and in over 15 years of private practice. In addition to being a graduate of the rigorous National Institute for Trial Advocacy, I was certified in administering Standardized Field Sobriety Tests in 1996, and again in 2001. I was named "Super Lawyer" by Washington Law & Politics in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

I am recognized by my colleagues as a seasoned DUI defense pro. I have lectured or conducted workshops for other lawyers on such diverse topics as "Cross-examination of the Arresting Officer," "The DataMaster," "Cross-examination of the State's Breath Test Expert," "Jury Selection in DUI Cases," "Winning Administrative License Suspension Hearings Before the Department of Licensing," and on the significant changes in Washington's DUI laws over the years.

I have received Certificates of Appreciation or Recognition from the following organizations:

• The National College for DUI Defense
• The University of Washington Law School Foundation
• The Northwest College for DUI Defense
• The Washington Foundation For Criminal Justice
• The Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
• The Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice
• The Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

I am also a commercial rated pilot, a former certified flight and instrument flight instructor, and an aerobatics flight instructor. I have also been a high school head lacrosse coach for the past 18 years. My wife Nancy and I have 3 children and six grandchildren. In October 2008, I was inducted into the State Lacrosse Hall of Fame by the Washington Chapter of US Lacrosse.