Member
Nashville and Franklin Office Executive Member

Gregory D. Smith

Mr. Smith is a family law lawyer with 37 years of experience whose practice focuses on complex, difficult disputes between spouses and former spouses. In addition to serving as the office executive member of the Stites Nashville/Franklin offices since 2014, he leads a team of six attorneys, two paralegals, and two staff who cover everything family law-related. His practice includes sophisticated financial issues such as valuation and distribution of businesses, business assets, real estate, retirement accounts and more; divorce and post-divorce matters involving children; and alimony and other forms of spousal support. The attorneys in the Stites domestic group, including Mr. Smith, also have experience in litigation involving the application of the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction— international custody cases governed by federal law and international law. Mr. Smith is a Fellow with the American College of Trial Attorneys and a frequent “Best of the Bar” award winner through the Nashville Business Journal.

Mr. Smith also has experience handling creditors' rights and commercial litigation matters in both Tennessee state and federal courts.

Recent News, Articles & Speaking Engagements

Gregory Smith Earns Chambers USA High Net Worth Honor for 2022

by staff writer, Attorney At Law Magazine, August 2, 2022

Ethical Considerations in Family Law

panel member, 16th Annual Virtual Family Law Conference for Tennessee Practitioners, December 2-3, 2021

Case Law Update

Family Law Institute, Nashville Bar Association Domestic Relations Committee, October 18, 2021

Chambers USA honors Stites & Harbison’s Smith

by staff author, The Nashville Ledger, July 30, 2021

Regular seminars for the Tennessee Bar Association, the Nashville Bar Association; the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association; Tennessee Attorneys’ Memo; Tennessee; Tennessee Society of CPAs; Williamson County Bar Association; Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators; National Business Institute; and more

(1999-Present) (Topics include ethics, case law updates; mediation; and more)

Annual updates to the Alimony Bench Book

prepared for Tennessee trial judges by the Tennessee Bar Association, Family Law Section (2014-present)

Annual updates to Richards on Tennessee Family Law (with Brent Lankford), the leading treatise on the topic

(2015-present)

2020 Domestic Case Law Update

Tennessee Judicial Conference, October 2020

Grandparent Visitation in Tennessee: A Study in Case Law

Nashville School of Law, November 19, 2019

Tennessee Attorneys Memo

2018 Family Conference for Tennessee Practitioners, December 7, 2018

New Law Update: Family Law Cases

January 2, 2015 through July 5, 2016, Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators Summary of New Cases in Family Law and Divorce, August 2016

Case law updates to the Tennessee Judicial Conference (a continuing legal education seminar for Tennessee’s trial and appellate judges) on new cases and statutory changes in family law

(2012-present)

Computer and Electronic Snooping: Opportunities to Violate State and Federal Law

Co-author, 34 Am. J. Tr. Advoc. 473 (2011)

Bar Admissions
Tennessee
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
U.S. Supreme Court
Firm Leadership

Office Executive Member - Nashville and Franklin offices

Domestic Service Group, Chair

Management Committee Member (two terms 2007-2011)

Active in other firm committees, including recruiting, compensation, and nominating committees

Memberships
American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
Tennessee Bar Association, (1985-present)
Nashville Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2002-04; Circuit and Chancery Court Committee, Chair, 2004
Nashville Pro Bono, Inc., Executive Committee, Member; Board Secretary; Board Member, 1997-1999
Nashville Bar Journal, Editor, 1988-89
Davidson County, Tenn., Juvenile Court Committee Chair, 2001
Williamson County Inns of Court
Education
Recent Assignments

Mr. Smith's practice includes both trial and appellate work. His appeals include a Tennessee Supreme Court case that set the standard for subject matter jurisdiction in child support cases. He has handled numerous other appeals involving modification of alimony and child support, jurisdiction in child custody disputes, and many other issues.

More Than Stites & Harbison

Cycling, fishing, board gaming, reading and bicycle building (not too good at that last one, or any of the rest for that matter, but still trying)

Active with a group of tandem cyclists who provide training/exercise and the opportunity to ride bikes to Nashville-area blind cyclists, through the help of the Harpeth Bike Club.

Accolades

American College of Trial Lawyers, North America’s preeminent organization of trial lawyers

Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rated

Best Lawyers in America®, Family Law (2008-23)

Best Lawyers in America®, Nashville Area Lawyer of the Year for Family Law (2016, 2018, 2022)

Chambers USA High Net Worth, Family/Matrimonial for USA: Tennessee (2021-22)

Nashville Business Journal, Best of the Bar (2003, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)

Mid-South Super Lawyers® (2008-22)

Mid-South Super Lawyers® Top 50 Nashville Lawyers (2018, 2019, 2020)

Mid-South Super Lawyers® Top 100 Tennessee Lawyers (2018, 2019, 2020)

Nashville Bar Association, Joseph G. Cummings Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year award (1996); Mentor for two other members in the firm, each of whom won the same award as associates on the State level in 2004 and 2014

100 Best Lawyers In Nashville, Nashville Business Journal

M Hicon 2020
Smith G Best Law2023
Smith G Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year 2022
Smithg Bestlawloy2018
Smithg Bestlawloy2016
Smithgsuperlaw
Smithgsuplawtop50Nashville
Smithgsuperlawtop100Tn
Actllogo
See more related to Gregory D. Smith
Press Releases

Nine Stites & Harbison Attorneys Honored by 2022 Mid-South Super Lawyers

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The 2022 edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers recently honored nine Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys. Six attorneys were named to the Super Lawyers list and three were named to the Rising Stars list.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC December 01, 2022
Press Releases

Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2023 Best Lawyers® Publications

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 98 of its lawyers are included in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Additionally, 11 Stites & Harbison attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 19 attorneys are recognized in “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC August 18, 2022
Press Releases

Gregory Smith Earns Chambers USA High Net Worth Honor for 2022

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Chambers USA High Net Worth selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Gregory D. Smith for inclusion in its 2022 guide in the category of Family/Matrimonial for USA: Tennessee. He is one of only four attorneys honored for Tennessee.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC August 03, 2022
Press Releases

Greg Smith Earns 2022 Best of the Bar Honor

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Nashville Business Journal recently honored Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Greg Smith with the 2022 Best of the Bar award in the areas of executive and family law. He has earned the Best of the Bar award eight times.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC July 15, 2022
Press Releases

Mid-South Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars 2021

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The 2021 edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers recently honored eight Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys. Five attorneys were named to the Super Lawyers list and three were named to the Rising Stars list.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC December 03, 2021
Events

16th Annual Virtual Family Law Conference for Tennessee Practitioners

Date: 12/2/21 - 12/3/21
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Webinar

Nashville attorneys Brenton Lankford and Greg Smith will be speakers at this Family Law Conference for Tennessee Practitioners being held December 2-3, 2021.

Brenton H. Lankford and Gregory D. Smith October 19, 2021
Events

Family Law Institute

Date: 10/18/21
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Webinar and in person at Nashville Bar Association, 150 4th Avenue N, Suite 1350, Nashville, TN 37219

Family Law attorneys Greg Smith and Brent Lankford (Nashville office) will speak at this Nashville Bar Association seminar on October 18, 2021.

Brenton H. Lankford and Gregory D. Smith October 06, 2021
Press Releases

Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2022 Best Lawyers® Publications

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 93 lawyers are included in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Additionally, 11 attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 14 attorneys are recognized in “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC September 01, 2021