Kelly, Smith & Schmidt
Providing aggressive, professional legal representation for your litigation needs. Offices providing service across Texas and Oklahoma.
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Attorneys

 
 

Attorneys

 
 
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Partner

Charles T. Kelly

Charles T. Kelly was born in Evansville, Indiana. He received a B.S. from Western Kentucky University in 1981 and received his J.D. in 1990 from the University of Houston Law Center. He interned with the 14th Court of Appeal of Texas. He is also a hazmat-certified fire and arson investigator. His affiliations include Texas Association of Defense Counsel, National Association of Subrogation Professionals, National Association of Fire Investigators, International Association of Fire Investigators, National Fire Protection Association and International Association of Marine Investigators.

 

Education

Western Kentucky University
B.S., 1981

University of Houston Law Center
J.D., 1990

Activities & Affiliations

  • Texas Association of Defense Counsel

  • National Association of Subrogation Professionals

  • National Association of Fire Investigators

  • International Association of Fire Investigators

  • National Fire Protection Association and International Association of Marine Investigators

  • Charles enjoys traveling with family, mountaineering, and developing ideas into consumer products. He loves the outdoors, and is happy gardening, running, camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, or mountain biking. He also likes restoring furniture, welding, meditation, listening to blues and bluegrass, or watching football when the Texans or Aggies are on the field.

                   

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Texas

  • Oklahoma

  • Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas

  • Northern District of Illinois

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

 
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Partner

Loren R. Smith

Loren  practices in the areas of subrogation recovery, insurance law, premises liability, products liability, auto accidents, civil appeals, and consumer litigation defense. Loren was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University in1985, and received his J.D. in 1990 from the University of Houston Law Center. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and several federal jurisdictions. Loren has regularly presented lectures to insurance professionals on insurance subrogation law. He has handled in excess of fifty appeals from state and federal trial courts to the Texas Courts of Appeals, Texas Supreme Court and Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

 

Education

University of Indiana
B.S., 1985

University of Houston Law Center
J.D., 1990

Activities & Affiliations

  • Member of National Association of Subrogation Professionals

  • Loren’s interests include recreational basketball, vintage automobiles and family vacations.  He and his wife are proud parents of daughter/son twin children.

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Texas

  • Federal Courts for the Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas

  • Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

 
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Partner

Laura D. Schmidt

Laura D. Schmidt is a native Texan born in Texarkana, Texas. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from Texas Tech University in 1988, and her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1991. Laura is licensed in Texas and Oklahoma; and admitted in all state and federal courts in both states, the Fifth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Laura’s prior experience ranges from in-house attorney for insurance carriers, a position as a corporate attorney, and private practice. Her legal practice focuses on subrogation and complex litigation. She is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and earned the designation of Certified Subrogation Recovery Professional through the non-profit trade association National Association of Subrogation Professionals. She has more than 50 first- chair jury trials to her credit, and is a frequent speaker on subrogation issues at local, state and national seminars. She has handled numerous appeals in Texas and the Fifth Circuit. Laura served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Subrogation Professionals for 5 years, serving as Secretary for 1 year. She was also the Co-Chair for the Amicus Committee for 4 years, and co-authored several amicus briefs across the country and before the United States Supreme Court.

 

Education

Texas Tech University
B.S., 1988

Texas Tech University School of Law
J.D., 1991

Activities & Affiliations

·   Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

·   Certified Subrogation Recovery Professional, administered by the National Association of Subrogation Professionals

·    National Association of Subrogation Professionals: current member, former Board member on the Board of Directors (2010-2016); former Secretary and member of the Executive Committee

·  In her spare time, Laura enjoys traveling (especially to her favorite city, New Orleans), sailing, rock ‘n roll and blues music, watching her Texas Tech Red Raiders, and spending time with her husband. An avid fan of college and professional football, she is also tough to beat in a March Madness bracket. Laura is a gourmet cook, a life-long fan of the Texas Rangers, a parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and if the weather is nice on the weekend, you will probably find her running a 5K somewhere in North Texas.

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Texas

  • Oklahoma

  • Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas

  • Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Oklahoma

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

  • United States Supreme Court

 
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Of COUNSEL

W. Scott Matney

Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, Scott Matney obtained his BBA from the University of Texas in 1992, and his JD with honors from the University of Houston in 1999. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Scott’s cases have involved the full range of issues encountered in commercial litigation, including breach of contract, deceptive trade practices, fraud, creditors’ rights, trade secrets, employment disputes, oil and gas, environmental pollution, real estate disputes, landlord-tenant, and franchising. He has extensive experience representing lenders, energy companies, and other entities in litigation involving extraordinary remedies such as injunctions, restraining orders, garnishments, and writs of sequestration. Scott has represented clients, as the lead lawyer, in litigation in over 100 counties across the State of Texas, and in all four federal districts in Texas. He has obtained favorable trial verdicts in Austin, Cameron, Harris, Hidalgo, Jefferson, Montgomery, Rockwall, and Travis counties. Scott has significant appellate experience as well, representing clients in six state courts of appeals, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Texas Supreme Court, including the confirmation of his client’s trial court judgment in a case of first impression concerning judgment lien priority.

 
 

Activities & Affiliations

  • The Texas Bar College

  • Pro bono Counsel for Humane Society of Young County

  • Houston Bar Association Mentor Program

  • Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Lifetime Member

  • Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Committeemen

  • Scott’s hobbies range from camping, kayaking, surfing, wakeboarding, hiking, hunting and fishing to reading, woodworking, and attending concerts. He especially enjoys volunteering for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, cooking and spending time with his children. Scott’s music tastes veer toward “Texas” or “red-dirt” music, which is country/Americana music by primarily Texas artists. He is a fan of Texans football, Longhorns football and Astros baseball.

Education

University of Texas
B.B.A.., 1992

University of Houston
J.D., cum laude, 1999

 

Bar Admissions

  • Texas

  • Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

 
 
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Of Counsel

Kerry Lance McGill

Kerry Lance McGill obtained his B.S. degree with honors from East Central University, Ada, OK, in 1988 and his J.D. with honors from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1991. He is licensed in Texas and Oklahoma, and admitted before the Northern and Western Districts of Texas as well as the Fifth Circuit. He has First Chair experience in countless bench and jury trials in state and federal courts, including appeals. Kerry’s practice focuses on nursing home liability, personal injury, mass torts, product liability, premises liability, and employment law.

 
 

Education

East Central University B.S., 1988

University of Oklahoma College of Law J.D., 1991

Activities & Affiliations

  • Travis County Bar Association

  • American Bar Association

  • Travis County Young Lawyer’s Association

  • Section Member: Civil Litigation and Employment-Texas State Bar

  • Carter County Bar Association; Speaker-Legal Assistant’s Division, State Bar of Texas.

  • Oklahoma Bar Association. Past President (8 consecutive years)  

  • East Central University Athletic Alumni Association.

  • Kerry is also a member of Marietta First Baptist Church, and coaches Plainview HS Varsity Football in the fall.

  • Kerry enjoys coaching football, attending church and spending time with his family, as well as snow skiing, fantasy sports, traveling, listening to country music, and watching University of Oklahoma football.

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Texas

  • Oklahoma

  • Fifth Circuit

  • Northern and Western Districts of Texas