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Hugh N. Smith and Diana Fuller formed Smith & Fuller, P.A. in 1985. The law firm specializes in cases that involve defects in design and manufacture of automotive products. Before the formation of the firm, both Hugh and Diana worked in a hundred plus lawyer firm in Tampa where Hugh was the head of the business litigation group.
Hugh graduated from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. Hugh was a political science major. Hugh was graduated summa com laude (highest honor of all academic awards) and he received his law degree from Duke University School of Law. Hugh remains one of the Cameron Crazies and a devoted fan to Duke basketball. |
Before founding Smith & Fuller, P.A., Hugh was a Special Agent for the FBI and was first assigned to the Tampa, Florida office and later worked organized crime and racketeering out of the Bureau’s New York City office. Upon leaving the FBI, he became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida where he participated as lead counsel in over 200 jury trials. Shortly after entering private practice, Hugh was retained by the Attorney General of the United States to handle a nine month jury trial involving a pyramid scheme. Since first entering private practice, Hugh has tried over 200 civil cases to verdict.
Hugh is a member of the state bars of Florida, Texas, and Ohio. He is also admitted to practice in the Northern, Middle and Southern District Courts in Florida, the Northern, Eastern and Southern District Courts of Texas, the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, the Western District of Kentucky, the Northern District of Ohio, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth, Sixth, and Eleventh Circuits and the Supreme Court of the United States.
In the automotive product field, the law firm has handled cases in all the courts to which Hugh is admitted to practice and he has also handled cases with permission of the courts in California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina and Virginia.
Hugh is a Diplomate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and he is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer with The Florida Board of Legal Specialization and Education. In 1992, he was awarded the prestigious George C. Carr Memorial Award of Excellence and Distinguished Service in recognition of his legal achievements.
He has served as a national delegate, treasurer and president of the Federal Bar Association and was appointed as the lawyer delegate to the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Conference.
The firm of Smith & Fuller practices exclusively in product liability claims involving motor vehicles and component parts with a special emphasis on tire failures. The firm has earned for the firm’s clients more than $100,000,000 in verdicts or settlements. The firm accepts referrals and is available to consult with counsel in the type of cases that the firm handles.
Mr. Smith has authored several articles relating to tire litigation and has lectured extensively before a variety of professional groups. |
