Wiley Rein has added a partner to its litigation practice in Washington, the firm announced Tuesday.
Richard Smith, formerly a partner with McDermott Will & Emery, focuses his litigation practice on trial and appellate litigation, First Amendment defamation, campaign finance and trademark infringement, among other areas.
He was part of the Florida election recount in the wake of the 2000 presidential election and the constitutional challenge to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. More recently, he represented Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, in a libel suit against Washington City Paper.
On the pro bono front, Smith filed an amicus brief in support of Jessica Gonzales in Castle Rock v. Gonzales, the first domestic violence cased heard by the Supreme Court.
In an interview, Smith said the move to Wiley Rein was a natural one, given the firm's reputation in the political and commercial litigation arenas.
"We're finding that even though we're in a recession, clients are still in need of a good litigator who understands when to press the accelerator and when to come off of it, someone who understands their business, but manages the litigation to the client's interest," Smith said.
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