Evan L. Smith
Of Counsel Attorney
After completing military service in the United States Army, Evan Smith returned to college and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Claremont McKenna College in 1978 and his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School in 1981. He then initially practiced as a tax professional in the Los Angeles office of a Big 8 public accounting firm for 3 years, after which he joined a boutique Los Angeles law firm. While there, his practice focused on estate planning and probate, business planning and transactions, and civil tax disputes, including successfully defending a large group of taxpayers against substantial tax and penalty assessments by the IRS that arose from investments in a large, fraudulent, syndicated oil and gas partnership scheme.
In 1990, Mr. Smith joined with a law school classmate to form a law firm focused on matters involving bankruptcy, business reorganization, insolvency, and related tax matters. He has since practiced law either in firms at the partner level or as a sole practitioner. Mr. Smith is now Of Counsel to Messina & Hankin, resident in the Temecula Valley office, where his practice emphasizes taxation, business law, and insolvency matters, including Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization cases and alternatives to bankruptcy, and related civil litigation and appeals.
Professional Associations & Recognition
During his career, Mr. Smith has actively participated in several community service and professional associations. Presently, he is a member of the following groups:
- California Receivers Forum
- Inland Empire Bankruptcy Forum
- Southwest Inn of Court
Mr. Smith has been AV® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® since 1989, the highest possible rating for an attorney for both ethical standards and legal ability, has an Avvo Rating of 9.7 Superb, and in the November, 2016, edition was listed as one of Inland Empire Magazine’s “Top Lawyer’s in the I.E.”
Published Articles:
- When Making a Gift or Bequest to a Caregiver, Seniors Must Take Extra Steps to Make Sure its Blessing, Not a Curse. - February 3, 2018, The Valley Business Journal
- California’s “Revocable Transfer on Death Deed” is a New Estate Planning Option for Homeowners Who Wish to Transfer Title to their Homes without Going through Probate - September 1, 2017, The Valley Business Journal