Scott O. Smith is a Shareholder in the Financial Institutions, Litigation and Insolvency & Financial Law groups, working in both the Orange County office of Buchalter. Mr. Smith focuses his practice on representing financial institutions, with an emphasis in creditor’s rights, commercial litigation, prejudgment remedies, receiverships, real estate, collections, loan workouts, restructuring and insolvency issues. Mr. Smith also has extensive experience in defense litigation, including lender liability and Uniform Commercial Code disputes.

Mr. Smith is a frequent speaker on bankruptcy, creditors’ rights (secured and unsecured), provisional and post-judgment remedies, workouts and restructuring, lender liability, commercial law, and collection alternatives and strategy. Mr. Smith speaks at conferences and seminars including those presented by the Western Banking Association, California Community Bankers Network, Special Asset Managers Association, Financial Lawyers Conference, National Association of Chinese American Bankers, The Rutter Group, Robert Morris & Associates and the Los Angeles County Bar Association, as well as, in-house seminars for numerous financial institutions.

Mr. Smith has been named AV Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubbell from 2013-2025 and was selected as a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer in the area of Commercial Litigation by American Lawyer Media. In addition, Mr. Smith has been recognized in the Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, for 2024 & 2025.

Mr. Smith was a contributing author to The Rutter Group California Practice Guide, Enforcing Judgments and Debts, and has testified as an expert witness on those subjects.