Gary Smith
Partner
Guidant Law Firm
BIO
A seasoned litigator, advisor, mediator and arbitrator, Gary Smith focuses his practice on commercial matters, construction, real estate, cannabis and administrative law. He has represented a wide range of individual and institutional clients in both State and Federal courts, administrative hearings, and arbitration.
Gary is among the most well-known voices in Arizona contracting and construction law. He is the author of highly regarded books, manuals and articles on the topic, including two legal treatises: The Orange Book: The Regulation of Arizona Contractors, 2nd Ed.: Practice and Procedure Before the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and Office of Administrative Hearings and Practice and Procedure Before the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and Office of Administrative Hearings. Additionally, he co-authored “Construction Lien Law in Arizona, A Practice Manual.”
With a Certificate in Advanced Mediation from the Pepperdine University School of Law: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Gary is highly skilled in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). He has worked on partnership disputes, construction defect, design defect, real estate purchase, employment contract breach, business purchase disputes, consumer fraud, banking, and purchase contracts. Gary also has ample experience in arbitration, having handled construction design and defect, personal injury, contract disputes, and professional fees. He has been appointed to the American Arbitration Association roster of neutrals for both Mediation and Arbitration and has taught ADR classes for the association.
Moreover, Gary is one of the leading cannabis attorneys in the state, often advocating for ADR in the industry. Notably, he served as amici counsel to the former Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services in the Arizona Supreme Court petition State v. Jones, attempting to restore cannabis extracts and concentrates to legal status under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. He has authored numerous articles about cannabis law, and he is commonly invited to share his expertise with professional associations and industry groups. Further, Gary is a founder and current president of the Arizona Cannabis Bar Association, an organization committed to educating lawyers and the public about cannabis law and responsible legislation.
Prior to founding Guidant, Gary served as a founding member and managing partner at Smith Paknejad, PLC. Before that, he worked as the Chief Litigation Counsel at McCarthy Law, PLC. At this multi-state consumer defense law firm, he was responsible for litigation and workouts, including defense of clients sued for both secured and unsecured credit card, real estate, and commercial debt. His practice focus was credit and collection law, including TILA, FDCPA, and FCRA.
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