William Ethan Smartt

Ethan Smartt is a Nashville, Tennessee criminal defense lawyer and Senior Trial Attorney at Michael & Associates Criminal Defense Attorneys who represents clients facing misdemeanor and felony criminal charges throughout Nashville, Middle Tennessee, and communities across the state. With more than a decade of criminal defense experience and courtroom practice in more than 60 Tennessee counties, Mr. Smartt has handled a wide range of criminal matters, including DUI offenses, drug crimes, assault charges, domestic violence allegations, theft offenses, probation violations, and other complex misdemeanor and felony cases.

Mr. Smartt earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law and was licensed to practice law in Tennessee in 2012. Since beginning his legal career, he has remained focused on criminal defense, developing extensive experience representing individuals accused of crimes in courts across the state.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Smartt has represented clients in more than 60 Tennessee counties, providing him with valuable familiarity with varying court procedures, local practices, and judicial systems throughout the state. His broad geographic experience and extensive courtroom work have helped him develop a practical understanding of how criminal cases are investigated, prosecuted, negotiated, and litigated in different jurisdictions.

Mr. Smartt has handled a wide range of hearings, motions, and criminal proceedings, including cases involving serious and complex legal issues. He approaches each case with thorough preparation, strategic analysis, and a commitment to protecting the constitutional rights of his clients while pursuing the strongest available defense based on the facts and circumstances of the case.

At Michael & Associates, Mr. Smartt draws on more than a decade of criminal defense experience and his work in courts across Tennessee to help clients navigate complex criminal cases and pursue the strongest available defense.

Outside the courtroom, Mr. Smartt is an avid Tennessee Volunteers fan and enjoys playing guitar, reading, and attending live music performances.
About Michael & Associates Criminal Defense Attorneys
Michael & Associates Criminal Defense Attorneys is a criminal defense firm with a unique model: the high-touch, personalized attention of a boutique firm, backed by the resources and collective experience of a 40+ lawyer defense team.

Every client is assigned a dedicated Senior Trial Attorney who owns the defense from intake through resolution. That attorney focuses on a specific county and court — practicing there regularly and knowing the judges, the prosecutors, and the local tendencies that shape outcomes. Cases are not rotated, reassigned, or passed to junior attorneys (the firm doesn't employ any).

Behind that lead attorney is a team of forty criminal-defense lawyers with more than 1,000 jury trials between them, including attorneys Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, ten Super Lawyers honorees, ACS-CHAL Forensic DWI Lawyer-Scientists, former prosecutors, former judges, and former law-enforcement professionals, including a former FBI agent.

That structure gives clients the 40-on-1 advantage: one senior lawyer leading your case, backed by the collective knowledge of 40+ criminal-defense attorneys. It means the prosecutor is not up against one lawyer — they're up against a brain trust.

The firm's main metric is client satisfaction, which is measured using standard CSAT surveys to every client at the conclusion of the case. The firm has achieved a 98.5% client satisfaction rate based on 1,840 survey responses. The full breakdown by case type is below:

- DWI: 97.8% CSAT (781 responses)
- Assault & Domestic Violence: 99.5% CSAT (368 responses)
- Other: 98.7% CSAT (158 responses)
- Drug Charges: 98.6% CSAT (142 responses)
- Motion to Revoke Probation: 97.8% CSAT (134 responses)
- Theft & Fraud: 100% CSAT (106 responses)
- Driving Offenses: 98.7% CSAT (75 responses)
- Weapons: 98.1% CSAT (52 responses)
- Sex Offenses: 100% CSAT (24 responses)

Data from September 2022 through May 6, 2026.

The firm's 2025 trial record was 65% favorable outcomes with a 50% outright acquittal rate. A 5.0 rating on Google. More than 1,400 five-star reviews on Google, Avvo, BBB, and Martindale, an A+ BBB rating, and combined criminal-defense experience exceeding 540 years. Attorney caseloads run well below ABA recommendations. Case reviews are free. No trial fees - ever.

Multiple Locations to Serve You Better... Austin - Dallas - Fort Worth - Houston - San Antonio - Nashville - Los Angeles