Michael R. Smith

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Hand Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC

Experience: 30 years

Business Law, Estate Planning, Securities Law and Appeals & Appellate

Indiana, D.C. Circuit, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana and U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana

Awards 1

Experience 30y

Online & Web 9

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Michael Smith advises clients with starting up new businesses, with buying and selling businesses, with negotiating contracts, with resolving internal disputes among the owners of businesses, and with protecting the rights of businesses and business owners through litigation. He is particularly experienced in creating and advising limited liability companies (or LLCs). His practice also includes tax exempt, nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(3)'s. He also represents clients in appeals, both civil and criminal, and in seeking post-conviction remedies. Mike has served as an adjunct professor at the Indiana University law school in Indianapolis, and he frequently teaches continuing education courses for other lawyers, paralegals, and accountants. He has published the Indiana Business Law Blog, https://businesslaw.handponist.com/blog/, since 2009.

Mike was born and raised in Tennessee, but he has been a Hoosier for most of his life. He moved to Indiana in 1978 after receiving a B.E. in chemical engineering (summa cum laude) from Vanderbilt University to work for Eli Lilly and Company in Lafayette, Indiana. In 1989 he enrolled in law school while continuing to work full time at Lilly, obtaining a J.D. (summa cum laude) from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 1993. He then moved to the Lilly Law Division, working first in the Environmental Law Group, and then in Securities and Commercial Transactions. While he was in the Law Division, he organized and led the Lilly Law Divison Pro Bono program. In 2008, he retired early to open a business law practice in Fishers, Indiana, originally known as Michael Smith Law Office, LLC and later as Smith Rayl Law Office, LLC. In 2018, he and his partner, Susan Rayl, joined with attorneys Joel Hand, Rachelle Ponist, and Valerie Horvath in forming Hand Ponist Horvath Smith & Rayl, LLC. His recreational interests include backpacking and woodworking with hand tools.

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

Indiana

Since 1994

D.C. Circuit

Since 1995

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana

Since 1994

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana

Since 1994

Professional Experience

2018 - Current

Hand Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC

Partner

2008 - 2018

Hand Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC

Attorney

Originally Michael Smith Law Office, LLC

2010 - 2012

Indiana University School of Law -- Indianapolis

Adjunct Professor

Taught Contract Drafting to law students

2009 - 2009

Community Development Law Center

Contract Attorney

2009 - 2009

Indiana University School of Law -- Indianapolis

Adjunct Professor

Conducted the Nonprofit Externship Program for law students at the Community Development Law Center.

1993 - 2008

Eli Lilly and Company

Attorney/Counsel

For more than fourteen years, Michael Ray Smith was in-house counsel for Eli Lilly and Company. While in Lilly's law division, Mike worked in the environmental legal department, in the office of the corporate secretary, and, for the last ten years, in the commercial transactions group. While in commercial transactions, Mike supported the Company's global sourcing operations, writing and negotiating contracts for all manner of goods and services, including a $1.3 billion energy management outsourcing transaction.

Education

1989 - 1993

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law

J.D. (1993) | Law

Honors: summa cum laude

1980 - 1982

Purdue University - Purdue University

M.S. (1982) | Chemical Engineering

Activities: Research in the possible application of ion exchange technology in artificial kidneys.

1974 - 1978

Vanderbilt University

B.E. (1978) | Chemical Engineering

Honors: summa cum laude

Awards

year - Michael R. Smith

Heartland Pro Bono Award

Heartland Pro Bono Council

Contacts

Hand Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC 1512 N Delaware St Indianapolis IN 46202 Telephone: (317) 576-8542

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Michael R. Smith Hand Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC

Experience: 30 years

Website: Open

Phone: (317) 576-8542

Location: USA

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Practice Areas

Business Law

Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes

Estate Planning

Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills

Securities Law

Appeals & Appellate

Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals

Languages

English: Spoken, Written

Websites

Michael Ray Smith's Website Profile

Hand Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC Business Law Website

Hand Ponist Smith & Rayl, LLC Main Website

Indiana Business Law Blog

Socials

Twitter

Justia Profile

Michael R. Smith's Avvo Profile

Michael R. Smith's Martindale Profile