Vicki Smith

 PARTNER

(503) 705-3763

Vicki M. Smith loves the Pacific Northwest. She grew up in a small town in eastern Washington and spent a summer during college working in Montana at her favorite place, Glacier National Park. She enjoys training for and running marathons. Her current bucket list includes earning the Six Star Medal, which requires her to run the six World Marathon Majors. Two down, four left. When not running, Vicki can be found attempting to grow vegetables in her garden, paddling lakes and canoe trails in central Oregon or exploring national parks with her family.

Admitted to Practice

Oregon
Washington
U.S. District Court, District of Oregon
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Education

J.D., Willamette University College of Law, 2001
B.A. (International Affairs and Government), Eastern Washington University, 1998

Practice & Experience

Vicki is a lead trial lawyer who regularly handles and tries cases involving insurance coverage, civil rights, product and warranty claims, professional liability claims, personal injury and wrongful death claims, and other commercial disputes. She advises and represents individuals, businesses, and insurance clients in and outside of litigation throughout all Oregon and Washington.

Martindale-Hubbell assigned Vicki an AV® Peer Review Rating — the highest rating an attorney can obtain for legal ability and ethical standards. Best Lawyers in America lists Vicki in the category of Insurance Litigation. She has also been listed as an Oregon Super Lawyer for 2020 - 2022.

Professional & Community Activities

DRI

Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel

Oregon Association of Defense Counsel

Oregon Women Lawyers

Washington Defense Trial Lawyers

Vicki enjoys taking an active role in advancing and enhancing the legal professional and practice.   She has been active in the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel since 2006, serving 12 years in its leadership and proudly serving as its President in 2018.   Vicki is honored to be a member of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, which is an organization of professionally distinguished civil defense attorneys and corporate executives.   Vicki is Chair of the Northwest Region, the Oregon State Representative, and co-Chair of FedServes.  She also serves on the FDCC Admissions Committee, is a Vice Chair of the Professional Women’s Forum and was the past Chair of the Commercial Litigation Section.   Vicki is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, a non-profit sister organization of the FDCC that promotes civil justice and enhances the quality of legal practice and service.   Vicki has been a long-time member of the DRI, where she currently serves as the Oregon State Representative. Vicki also regularly presents at professional and continuing education seminars, including the following:

  • Presented on insurance coverage considerations related to the pandemic and COVID for The Seminar Group in 2020.

  • Presented on obstacles that arise when arbitrating and litigating disputes at the FDCC's 2019 Winter Meeting.

  • Presented on a commercial litigation panel discussing arbitrability issues affecting claims by third parties at the FDCC’s 2018 Annual Meeting.

  • Moderated a panel discussion on trial strategy for closing arguments at the 2017 FDCC Winter Meeting.

  • Presented on motor vehicle dealer surety bonds at the 2016 DRIAnnual Meeting.

  • Presented on a panel discussing motions challenging civil pleadings at a 2013 seminar co-sponsored by OADC and the Jackson County Bar Association.

  • Presented on how to be a successful trial attorney at the 2012 OADC Annual Convention.

  • Presented at the Oregon Professional Liability Fund’s Learning the Ropes CLE for newly admitted lawyers in 2006 and 2007.

Vicki really enjoys mentoring. For six years, she partnered with middle or high school students to read and analyze books, as part of the Multnomah Bar Association's Imprint Program. Through the nonprofit organization Girls on the Run, Vicki served as a running buddy to multiple 8 to 10 year-old girls. Vicki mentored law students at Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College for several years and was the recipient of the 2006-2007 Andrea Swanner Redding Outstanding Mentor Award. She also mentored multiple lawyers under the Oregon State Bar’s New Lawyer Mentoring Program.