Terry J. Smith

Terry J. Smith is a partner with Smith O'Callaghan & White. He has represented employers in all aspects of labor and employment law for more than 25 years, representing and regularly advising corporate defendants in litigation involving labor and employment matters in federal and state courts, and administrative agencies, throughout the United States. Prior to founding a boutique firm, Mr. Smith was a partner in one of the largest law firms in Chicago.

He has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer for 15 consecutive years (2007-2021), representing the top 5% of all attorneys in the State of Illinois. Mr. Smith is AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He has led Smith O'Callaghan & White to a place among "Go-To Law Firms" for corporate counsel and national recognition as a "best-in-class" boutique law firm providing exemplary client focus and service.

Mr. Smith deals extensively with all phases of employment-related litigation in the federal and state courts — from pre-litigation counsel, to discovery, to dispositive motions, to trial. He has represented employers in single-party and multi-party litigation. His experience encompasses cases involving employment discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, breach of employment contract, trade secret misappropriation, covenants not-to-compete, unfair competition, employee pirating, breach of fiduciary duty and workplace defamation. He has successfully litigated these cases throughout the country.

Mr. Smith also has represented employers in a number of precedent-setting cases, including: inevitable disclosure of trade secrets, legal obligations of employers in reductions-in-force, workplace defamation lawprivilege and self-publication, no individual supervisor liability under Title VII, notice requirements in alleged harrassment cases, arbitration disputes and the first case to reach the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit interpreting the FMLA.

Illinois

Since 1987

Wisconsin

Since 1984

4th Circuit

Since 1992

6th Circuit

Since 1986

7th Circuit

Since 1984

D.C. Circuit

Since 1984

Partner

Smith O'Callaghan & White

1996 - Current

Partner

Schiff Hardin & Waite

1990 - 1995

Associate

Schiff Hardin & Waite

1987 - 1990

Associate

Foley & Lardner LLP

1984 - 1987

Cornell University

J.D. (1984)

1984

Lawrence University

B.A. (1981)

1981

Honors: magna cum laude Phi Beta Kappa

AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating

Martindale-Hubbell

Highest rating for legal ability and ethics

Illinois Super Lawyer

Chicago Magazine

For Years 2007 - 2019

Fellow, Trial Lawyers Honorary Society

Litigation Counsel of America

Chicago Bar Association-Labor and Employment Law Committee

Member

Current

Chicago Bar Association-Federal Civil Practice Committee

Member

Current

Seventh Circuit Bar Association

Member

Current

American Bar Association

Member, Labor and Employment Section

Current