William Lee Smith

Mr. Smith began his legal career at the Department of the Navy, Office of General Counsel, Western Area Counsel Office, Environmental and Water Law Divisions. He distinguished himself in complex litigation while at the San Diego law firm of Chapin, Fleming, McNitt, Shea & Carter in the environmental department where he worked extensively on Aguilar v. Pacific Gas & Electric, et al., subsequently made famous by the movie “Erin Brockovich.”

At Michel & Associates, P.C., Mr. Smith specializes in environmental and insurance law. Mr. Smith’s environmental practice emphasizes Superfund and cost-recovery litigation under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Hazardous Substance Account Act (State Superfund) and related regulatory provisions and common law theories of recovery, while his insurance practice includes bad faith litigation and coverage issues. Mr. Smith also has extensive experience in dealing with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, including the EPA, DTSC, RWQCB, AQMD, as well as local health departments, hazardous materials divisions, public works departments, fire departments, and sanitation departments. In this capacity, he advises and represents clients on regulatory compliance issues, permits, and enforcement orders. In addition, Mr. Smith has experience in CEQA, NEPA, ESA, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Polanco Redevelopment Act, land use regulations, water law, toxic torts, natural resources, contracts and transactions, business and corporate law matters. With his environmental and business background, Mr. Smith is uniquely qualified to advise and represent clients in real estate transactions, including Brownfields projects and the purchase and sale of contaminated properties. Mr. Smith has been recognized by Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine as one of the top environmental attorneys in Southern California. In addition, Mr. Smith has served as Special Counsel to Bankruptcy Trustees where he represented Bankruptcy Estates in pursuing legal matters pertaining to environmental and insurance issues.

In 1995 Mr. Smith graduated cum laude with a BA in political science from California State University San Marcos. He earned his JD from California Western School of Law in 1997. While in law school, Mr. Smith worked as a Research Assistant for Law Review and clerked for the Department of the Navy where he worked extensively on environmental and water law matters.