Profile

Quality work done the right way not only describes Taylor English, but it also describes the legal services I provide for my clients.

Sean Smith is a member of Taylor English’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice group. For more than 25 years, Mr. Smith has represented companies and individuals in many different areas of litigation and alternative dispute resolution, including business contract and tort matters, banking law, antitrust actions, shareholder and securities litigation, environmental litigation and libel and related First Amendment issues.

Mr. Smith has tried multiple actions in state and federal courts in Georgia and surrounding states, including a representation of Time Inc., which was noted as one of the 15 significant defense verdicts in the country in 1996.

In addition to trial matters, Mr. Smith has represented numerous clients in appeals in both state and federal courts. He also has advised clients on an ongoing basis regarding various methods of avoiding litigation and making litigation more effective and efficient when it is necessary.

Mr. Smith has lectured on various legal issues at local colleges, and has taught trial advocacy at Emory University School of Law. He also lectures regularly for various continuing legal education organizations, with a special focus on contract issues, privilege issues and electronic discovery methods.

Memberships

State Bar of Georgia

American Bar Association

Atlanta Bar Association

Community Involvement

Presbyterian Elder

Practice Highlights

Experience

  • Successful defense in major arbitration involving alleged breach of asset purchase agreement

    Led team defending EMS in arbitration in which claimant sought in excess of $40 million for alleged breach of representations and warranties in connection with its acquisition of a division of EMS. After a two-week hearing, the Arbitrator found for EMS on one of the products in issue and awarded only a fraction of the damages alleged by claimant on the other two products.

  • Judicial enforcement of restrictive covenants

    Obtained multiple temporary restraining orders in Georgia Superior Court on behalf of regional financial services firm, enforcing non-solicitation covenants of departing financial advisors and other executives who went to work for industry competitors.

  • Resolution of commercial contract disputes prior to AAA arbitration

    Represented publicly-traded provider of enterprise workforce management hardware, software, and services in contractual claims against licensed reseller. Negotiated favorable confidential resolution of dispute prior to arbitration, which included reseller’s cease and desist of use of client’s products.

Newsroom

Education

The University of Chicago, JD, with honors, 1988

Order of the Coif; Law Review, 1986-1988; Hinton Moot Court Finalist

Harvard College, AB, magna cum laude, 1985

Bar Admissions

Georgia

Courts & Adjudicative Bodies

Court of Appeals of Georgia

Supreme Court of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit

Accolades

Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

Georgia Trend's Legal Elite, General Practice/Trial Law, 2012