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About Michael
Biography
For more than fourteen years, Michael Ray Smith was in-house counsel for Eli Lilly and Company. While in Lilly’s law division, Mike worked in the environmental legal department, in the office of the corporate secretary, and, for the last ten years, in the commercial transactions group. While in commercial transactions, Mike supported the Company’s global sourcing operations, writing and negotiating contracts for all manner of goods and services. Mike retired from Lilly in 2008 and opened a private practice in Fishers, Indiana, first known as Michael Smith Law Office, LLC, and then as Smith Rayl Law Office, LLC. In 2018, Mike and his partner joined with other attorneys to form a firm now known as Harshman Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC, in Indianapolis. Mike practices primarily business law, with a focus on limited liability companies and nonprofit organizations.
Practice Areas
4
Practice Areas
Business
30%
28 years
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
30%
18 years
Contracts and Agreements
20%
28 years
Corporate and Incorporation
20%
28 years
Fees and Rates
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Indiana for 32 years
State: Indiana
Acquired: 1994
No misconduct found
Location
Harshman Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC
3650 N. Washington Blvd., Indianapolis, IN, 46205
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Michael Ray Smith's Reviews
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Michael Ray Smith's Lawyer Endorsements
"Mike is an exceptional business lawyer. He spends a good deal of time researching and understanding the complicated subtleties of business law and litigation. I have worked with Mike on numerous occasions and his ability to decipher complicated nuances of business law is always impressive. I endorse this lawyer."
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Experience
Honors
2022
Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2014
Lead Counsel, Thomson Reuters
2004
Heartland Pro Bono Award, Heartland Pro Bono Council
1993
American Jurisprudence Award -- Family Law, Lawyer's Cooperative
1992
Note Development Editor, Indiana Law Review
1989
American Jurisprudence Award -- Contracts, Lawyer's Cooperative
Work Experience
2018 - Present
Partner, Harshman Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC
2010 - 2012
Adjunct Professor, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
2009 - 2009
Contract Attorney, Community Development Law Center
2009 - 2009
Adjunct Professor, Indiana University School of Law -- Indianapolis
2008 - 2018
Member, Smith Rayl Law Office, LLC
1993 - 2008
Attorney/Counsel, Eli Lilly and Company
1990 - 1993
Department Head - Biochemical Engineering, Eli Lilly and Company
1989 - 1990
Patent Associate, Eli Lilly and Company
1982 - 1989
Chemical Engineer, Eli Lilly and Company
1980 - 1982
Research/Teaching Assistant, Purdue University
1978 - 1980
Chemical Engineer, Eli Lilly and Company
Associations
Indiana State Bar Association
Member
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Member
Indianapolis Bar Association
Member
Sample of Legal Cases
Terrault v. Scheere, 200 N.E.3d 490 (Ind. App. 2022).
Possession of the unique prototype of the Chicago Picasso awarded to my client at the trial level. The trial court's decision was upheld on appeal.
Rogers v. State, 60 N.E.3d 256 (Ind. Ct. App. 2016)
The tria court's decision denying client's motion to compel was reversed. There is no privilege in Indiana for unlicensed social workers.
Education
1993
Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1982
Purdue University
MS - Master of Science
1978
Vanderbilt University
BE - Bachelor of Engineering
Speaking Engagements
2024
NBI CLE Seminar
Business Contracts: Drafting and Negotiation
2022
IndyBar CLE Seminar
Nonprofit Tool Kit
2021
IndyBar CLE Seminar
Negotiating and Drafting Complex Contract Clauses
2020
NBI CLE Seminar
Getting to Clarity: 25 Tips for Better Agreements
2020
IndyBar CLE Seminar
Setting Up a 501(c)(3) Organization
2019
NBI CLE Seminar
Use of LLCs in asset protection and estate planning
2019
NBI CLE Seminar
Top single member LLC mistakes to avoid
2019
NBI CLE Seminar
Piercing the LLC veil
2019
NBI CLE Seminar
Issuing, transferring, and dividing LLC interest
2019
Fulton County Bar Association Annual CLE Conference
Advising closely held for-profit businesses
2017
Hancock County Bar Association Luncheon CLE
Indiana Series Limited Liability Companies
2016
ISBA Annual Meeting
Indiana Series Limited Liability Companies
2016
Indiana State Bar Association Solo/Small Firm Conference
Minority Ownership in Closely Held Companies
2015
Solo & Small Firm Conference
Nuts and Bolts of Business Formation
2015
NBI CLE Seminar
Single and Multi Member LLC Top Mistakes to Avoid
2015
NBI CLE Seminar
LLC State Law Update
2015
ISBA Annual Meeting
What’s the Answer? Perspectives from Those Who Negotiate, Litigate & Decide (Panel discussion)
2013
National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education
What Estate Planners Need to Know about LLC Formation
2011
National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education
Business Contracts from A to Z
2009
IUPUI Solution Center's Nonprofit Solutions Community/Campus Presentations
Strategic Alliances for Nonprofit Organizations
Publications
2011
Fishers Business Insider
Yes, Your LLC Needs an Operating Agreement
2009
Indiana Business Law Blog
Over 100 blog articles beginning in 2009
1993
Indiana Law Review
Limiting the Discretion of the Administrator of Poor Relief in Indiana
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Guides
Legal Answers
Q&A
When filing for an EIN for your LLC from the IRS website, it asks for a physical location for your LLC. Should you put your home
18 Aug 2022
Q&A
Can I transfer ownership of an 8' x 8' piece of land within my property to a billboard company through a quit claim deed in Indi
13 Jan 2021
Q&A
How do I accept investment money in an LLC by an investor who wants no control of the business?
15 Jun 2016