Debra A. Smith is a member of the California State Bar and has been an advocate for individuals in Divorce and Domestic Violence cases for over 35 years. She is licensed to practice law in both California and New Mexico and has been specially admitted to handle cases in five other states (Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, Nevada, and Arizona). After many years of handling cases for a variety of clients, she fully understands the arts of advocacy and persuasion that are crucial to the presentation of winning cases in settlements, and at trial. She has represented clients in small cases and in high stakes cases, both state and federal, and has a more than 90% win rate at trial. She is a member of the prestigious “Million Dollar Advocates” forum, which is open only to attorneys who have won cases over $1,000,000.00.

Her offices in Riverside and Orange County, CA, handle Family Law, Domestic Violence and Criminal Defense cases. Debra originally founded the Law Office of Debra A. Smith in 1986, which later evolved into the current day Smith Law Group, where she is a partner with her son, attorney William Smith. They have represented clients in Riverside and Orange counties for over thirty-five years. Focusing on cases involving family relations, the office handles Divorce and large Property Division cases, often involving complex Spousal Support, Custody and Domestic Violence issues. Some cases require legal services in all areas at the same time. Debra has many years of courtroom experience, and in mediating cases to settlement. She understands the emotional and financial effects on individuals in these types of cases, and her grip and control of the related dynamics affect the outcome of a case in a positive manner.

Debra is the author of the 3 book series entitled “Had Enough?” a thorough expose of domestic violence through vivid stories of actual survivors. The set reaches through the barriers often self-erected by abuse victims, lighting the way for them, and providing a method where they can make a realistic and safe plan to escape the domestic violence.

Debra A. Smith has been on the Board of Directors for the Alternatives to Domestic Violence Center located in Riverside, CA, a federally recognized non-profit organization that provides assistance, legal help and counseling to victims of domestic violence and abuse.

Many years of representing clients in their real life, often unpredictable, and sometimes violent situations, has made her not only understanding and compassionate, but strong and determined, offering leadership to her clients not often shown by other attorneys. Her steel-edged will is reflected in her ability to relate to, and understand, individuals across a wide array of lifestyles and cultures, as well as to the special needs in each of their own unique situations.

Outside the office, she is a mother of three boys, an avid reader, an accomplished horsewoman, a downhill snow skier, and a cultivator of rare palms on her 325 tree, four acre property. When not working in the office, or on her property, she enjoys fine dining, fine wine, the wonders of nature and seeing the outside world.