David Campbell Smith

David Campbell Smith

5.0
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 38 years

Litigation Lawyer at Los Angeles, CA
Practice Areas: Litigation, Landlord & Tenant

1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA

About David

Biography

Practice Areas

2

Practice Areas

Landlord or Tenant 50%

Experienced in Ellis Act violations and significant (e.g., multi- party, class action) habitability and eviction actions.

30 years | 200 cases

50%
Litigation 50%

Senior civil litigation attorney with thirty years' experience handling complex matters with an emphasis on commercial and residential real estate, mortgage lending/servicing, housing rights and business-related litigation including class actions.

39 years | 200 cases

50%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 425-425 per hour


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in California for 38 years

State: California

Acquired: 1987

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Maryland for 14 years

State: Maryland

Acquired: 2012

Inactive - Retired

No misconduct found

Location

Campbell Smith Law

1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA, 90067

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David Campbell Smith's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

10 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (10) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 2 of 2 reviews | Character & Conduct

Posted by Esther | July 23, 2021 | Landlord & Tenant

He's passionate about helping you resolve your problems!

Mr. David Campbell is very passionate about helping you solve the problems you may have with your landlord. I was truly amazed at how helpful he was with my case. I truly appreciate people who are true to their work. Thank you David!!

Posted by Jesus | May 17, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Landlord & Tenant

Our Super Lawyer David Smith, he has Companion, Commitment, and Conviction

It is with great pleasure that I write this review for David Campbell Smith. Over the years I have had to retain about two dozen lawyers for business matters to non-profit organization matters. When I hired David, I soon found a diamond in the rough. He has the 3 C's in my professional opinion that m...akes him a great lawyer and that you should have on your side. He has Companion, Commitment, and Conviction. He single handily took on our case with little notice and little help from us through an ongoing strain relationship and ordeal that we had with our landlord. We were commercial tenants that were being retaliating against by our landlord and their management company. In short, we were bogged down with a timeless lawsuit and litigation that was over our head as well as other lawyers from high profile firms in the city that we contacted. A friend of mine from the big firm Skadden & Arps strongly recommended David to me, as well as some from Public Counsel. So, we decided to retain him. With David’s strong background in Litigation & Landlord Tenant Law, he was the perfect choice for us. He was extremely intelligent and very personable. For he was able to maneuver the court and the opposing counsel to get this matter resolved expeditiously and still keep us in our office while keeping our cost down. Without David’s professional help we would have lost and would had to leave our office for no fault of our own. David is a brilliant and very savvy litigator who really knows Landlord Tenant law like the back of his hand. He not only handled our case with utmost professionalism but he did it in a way that was result oriented and that was so clear that we understood every move and his approach every step of the way. He gave our organization 120% to which he has given life to and labored tirelessly for. David’s enduring passion, mission, and raison d’être was overseeing legal’s efforts to keep us in our grant writing office, which is the heart of our non-profit organization. If we had lost both our efforts in improving the ability of hundreds of Latino children from low-income, socially disadvantaged families in East Los Angeles to do something seemingly simple… and yet so crucial to their future success: read, write, would be jeopardize. David’s effort put us in a winning situation! Now, I consider him a close friend, business associate, and, perhaps most importantly, a colleague in the ongoing struggle to level the playing field for all Americans, especially those who face serious hardships in their effort to fulfill all of the potential given to them by God. His dedication to the Law and the undeserved communities especially for children of Los Angeles is absolute. I’ll conclude by stating the obvious: David’s dedication to serving as a people’s lawyer is marvelous and inspiring, as his unstinting and wavered efforts to help people with the law to all Americans of all walks of life. I recognize that only a fraction of you will hire lawyers for your cause and cases, David Campbell Smith is one tremendous lawyer who is a worthy lawyer that should be awarded your case and cause, if you should ever need one. I hope I have struck a cord with you and that I have been able to provide you with some insight about the kind of person and lawyer David Smith is! I would highly offer him to you and recommend him as a candidate of merit for your lawyer. Sincerely, Jesus Jimenez Executive Director Latino Children's Fund (LCF)

See All Client Reviews

David Campbell Smith's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse David
Santhia Lejoyce Curtis headshot
Santhia Curtis

Litigation lawyer | May 31

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. David is a world class litigator and trial attorney. As a chief legal officer and general counsel I have retained David twice for federal trials in Southern California. The first trial over 15 years ago and it was a “bet the company” matter. Because of David’s expertise in the courtroom we prevailed and the results were beyond our expectations. Years later when faced with another matter in Southern California I again retained David as trail counsel. Lightning struck twice. He delivered and we prevailed. David provides the highest-quality cost-effective legal services."

Leland A Wahl headshot
Leland Wahl

Litigation lawyer | Nov 17

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have known Dave for 25 years. We’ve litigated cases together and brainstormed others, so I know how he works and how he thinks. Dave is smart, practical and aggressive. You want him on your team - not against you!"

Steven David Atlee headshot
Steven Atlee

Litigation lawyer | Nov 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"David is an experienced lawyer who uses sound judgment to solve problems pragmatically. He is a pleasure to work with."

Lynne Marie Hook headshot
Lynne Hook

Litigation lawyer | Nov 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Dave is a trustworthy attorney with extensive experience with private and government client litigation. His legal abilities and personal ethics are unquestionably strong."

Luis Eduardo Caldera headshot
Luis Caldera

Litigation lawyer | Nov 01

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"David Smith is a superb trial attorney with deep experience trying case and resolving them on the eve of trial through his intense preparation. He has advised me on numerous sensitive matters, and I would not hesitate to put an urgent, complex and high stakes matter in his hands. An excellent communicator who keeps a calm, professional demeanor and strategic focus while others are losing theirs. I recommend without hesitation."

Michael J Henderson headshot
Michael Henderson

Litigation lawyer | Oct 25

Relationship: Co-worker

"David is an exceptional attorney with a wealth of experience handling complex litigation."

Raad Kevin Shawaf headshot
Raad Shawaf

Litigation lawyer | Oct 25

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. David is a tremendous trial lawyer with excellent experience in real estate litigation. As a transactional attorney, I valued David's pre-litigation strategy and ability to take the reins once the matter went to court. David is dedicated, prepared and well spoken. Both clients and I were impressed with his strong counsel and greatly satisfied with his results."

Susan Gail Spira headshot
Susan Spira

Litigation lawyer | Oct 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer wholeheartedly! Very accomplished lawyer and terrific person - a tremendous attorney to have represent you!"

View All Endorsements
Leland A Wahl headshot
Leland Wahl

Litigation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2019

Pro Bono Partner of the Year, Public Counsel

2016

Detained Immigrants Champion - Freddie Mac, CAIR Coalition (Immigrants Rights)

2015

Pro Bono Honor Roll, CAIR Coalition (Immigrants Rights)

2010

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2009

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2008

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2008

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2008

Distinguished Member, Who's Who Legal

2007

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

Work Experience

2017 - Present

Owner, Campbell Smith Law

2017 - 2017

General Counsel, JK Residential

2013 - 2016

Associate General Counsel, Freddie Mac

2011 - 2013

Trial Attorney, United States Dept. Of Justice

2000 - 2010

Partner, McNamara, Spira & Smith

1991 - 2000

Shareholder, Stern, Neubauer, Greenwald & Pauly

1988 - 1991

Associate, Donavan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine

1986 - 1988

Associate, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

Associations

2021 - Present

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Judge Pro Tem

2018 - Present

California Association of Realtors

Mediator

2017 - Present

State Bar of California, Real Property Law Section

Member

2017 - Present

Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing

Member

2017 - Present

National Lawyers Guild

Member

2017 - Present

Los Angeles County Bar Association

Member

2017 - Present

American Bar Association

Member

2017 - Present

Lawyers of Distinction

Member

2012 - Present

Maryland State Bar Association

Member

2016 - 2017

Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalition

Board of Directors

2010 - 2013

Hogar Immigrant Services

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Owensmouth v Silver & Freedman

Verdict for plaintiff after jury trial

US v Stein, et al

Following civil proceedings, criminal indictment dismissed

Riley v. Hilton Hotels

Action dismissed by trial court and dismissal affirmed on appeal

Castillo v Fairbanks Capital

Jury verdict in favor of plaintiffs. Court awarded plaintiffs attorneys' fees and costs in post-trial proceedings.

Robison v Six Flags

Summary judgment reversed

Banks v CitiMortgage

Case settled favorably on first day of jury selection

See More Legal Cases

Education

1983

University of Natal

LL.B - Bachelor of Laws

1980

University of Natal

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2021

Landlord Tenant Developments

Landlord Tenant Developments

2018

Seller-Financing Restrictions Under Dodd-Frank Dodd-Frank

Publications

2019

Lorman Education Services publication Seller-Financing Restrictions Under Dodd-Frank

2018

Lorman Institute Seller-Financing Restrictions Under Dodd-Frank

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

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  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
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