PRO
also known as Cloyd Allen Smith
Virtual Consultation Available
Cloyd is a retired Army infantry officer, having served over twenty-three years leading American soldiers in the United States, Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon. He brings that same sense of duty to his clients in his practice of law.
Knowing he wanted to be a trial lawyer, Cloyd focused on criminal law to earn trial experience. While earning his Juris Doctorate, Cloyd interned at the United States Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., was a Moffit Scholar at the Public Defender’s Office in Alexandria, Virginia, and used his third-year practice certificate to try cases at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in Arlington, Virginia during his final year of law school. During his last year of law school Cloyd successfully prosecuted seven bench trials in Arlington General District Court, second-chaired a felony malicious wounding case in Arlington Circuit Court and earned an acquittal for a wrongfully arrested defendant in a felony jury trial in Alexandria Circuit Court.
After gaining some initial trial experience, Cloyd officially began his legal career serving as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Richard E. Gardiner of the Fairfax County Circuit Court. During his clerkship, Cloyd gained valuable experience researching the intricacies of Virginia law while drafting and editing legal opinions for numerous circuit court judges in complex civil litigation cases.
Prior to Founding Smith Trial Law, Cloyd worked at a popular law firm in Prince William County and a prestigious law firm in Fairfax, Virginia where his practice concentrated on complex civil litigation with a focus on business litigation and Trust and Estate Litigation.
Within his first year of practicing Trust and Estate Litigation, Cloyd won a case of first impression in the Virginia Supreme Court successfully arguing that a trust is not a contract that can be enforced against a beneficiary under the Federal Arbitration Act or the Virginia Uniform Arbitration Act. Anderson v. Boyle, 301 Va. 52, 871 S.E.2d 226 (2022).
He gives credit to his military career taking him all over the world for giving him a keen understanding and appreciation for how amazing this country and its legal system are. Cloyd lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and has four children: Sara, Caitlyn, Chloe, and Liam. When not in the office or in the courtroom, Cloyd can usually be found playing sports with his son Liam in the front yard or swimming in the back yard.
7
Practice Areas
1 year | 6 cases
1 year | 2 cases
We have not found any cost information for this lawyer
State: District of Columbia
Acquired: 2022
No misconduct found
State: Virginia
Acquired: 2020
No misconduct found
Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Posted by Jan | December 07, 2023 | Hired Attorney
Not just a good lawyer
Contrary to what many people think, all lawyers are not out for just winning. While this is the main goal, of course, Mr. Smith not only pressed to win and did a great job of handling my case- he genuinely cared about me and the outcome of this very painful and delicate case.
Thank you, Jan for the nice words. You were a great client and an even better person. I truly enjoyed working with you and I am glad we were able to get your case resolved.
Posted by Linda Anderson | August 01, 2024 | Hired Attorney
Linda Anderson
He treated me with respect and he made sure that I was keep up to date on what he was doing He answered all my questions and if I didn’t understand he made sure I did I appreciated for all his help
Thank you, Linda. It was easy to treat you with respect because I very much respect you. I hope you and the family are doing well.
Posted by Esther | May 22, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
Traffic Violation
I would like to make it clear that Cloyd responded to me on a very short notice (like two days). I reached out to him through ARAG and he was able to help get my case dismissed. I would highly recommend and use him again.
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2025 - Present
Managing Partner, Smith Trial Law
2021 - Present
Associate Attorney, Law Office of George O. Peterson, PLC
2025 - 2025
Associate Attorney, Bristle-Schulze
2019 - 2020
Clerk, Fairfax County Circuit Court
2025 - Present
Fredericksburg Area Bar Association
2021 - Present
Fairfax County Bar Association
2019
JD
2009
MMAS
2005
MA
1996
BS