Attorney Experience » Vonde Smith
Vonde Smith is a Wyoming native and a Wyoming lawyer. Ms. Smith was born in Casper, Wyoming, in 1969, attended Natrona County High School, the University of Wyoming and graduated from the University College of Law in 1994. Vonde is an active member of the Wyoming State Bar practicing in Jackson, Wyoming. Ms. Smith has strong roots in Jackson, Wyoming. Her grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters live in Jackson. Vonde prides herself in being honest, tough and dogged in her devotion to her cases.
Ms. Smith began her career working for a prolific trial lawyer with a varied and busy criminal and civil litigation practice. This allowed her to learn many aspects of the law and the legal system. From there, she became the Director of Lawyers & Advocates for Wyoming, a Not-for-Profit, public interest law firm affiliated with The Spence Law Firm and celebrated trial lawyer Gerry Spence.
Vonde’s varied background has afforded her experience in both civil and criminal trials. She has litigated everything from family disputes to complex civil litigation. In 2002, Vonde obtained one of the largest civil rights jury verdicts in Wyoming against the Casper Police Officers. However, she has found that the cases that gave her the most satisfaction were the ones that weren’t large public victories, but nonetheless truly impacted her clients’ lives.
In one case, she negotiated with an insurance company to obtain a life-saving liver transplant for a very ill woman after her insurance company wrongfully denied her coverage. In another case, she was a pivotal factor in saving a young man’s life. The young man was in prison on a non-violent conviction when it was discovered that he had a very aggressive form of cancer and a very short estimated life-span. When Vonde was dissatisfied that the care available through the private prison system was inadequate, she fought for and obtained clemency from the Governor of his State so that he could seek specialized medical care that the prison system did not provide. He is alive and well today—and has stayed out of trouble. In many of the employment and civil rights cases Vonde worked on, frequently her victories came in the form of implementation of new and greatly improved policies and procedures—to prevent further atrocities from occurring.
In the summer of 2000, Vonde was part of select group chosen every year to attend The Trial Lawyers’ College, a month-long program, where she and other trial lawyers gained valuable insight into the methods used by well-known trial experts across the country to win trials, and developed a nation-wide network of fellow lawyers working for justice.
In 2004, Vonde was needed in Salt Lake City, Utah to care for her infant daughter who required long-term, specialized medical care unavailable in Wyoming. During her year-long stay in Utah, she was one of only 32 people accepted to the University of Utah’s Conflict Resolution Certificate Program, a two-semester program, where she received intensive training in conflict resolution and communication. The program teaches an exceptionally high level of competence in communication and process skills. To develop those skills, students participate in 100 hours of role plays, simulations and other exercises that practice live skills. Vonde’s experience with this program led her to critically assess the way that lawyers can utilize the law to really benefit people.
Since that time, Vonde has re-devoted herself to helping people through superior representation at the Law Offices of Vonde Smith. She has also redirected her practice to conflict resolution. To further her commitment to conflict resolution practice, Vonde has enrolled in the University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business, Executive Certificate in Negotiation program.
Vonde maintains memberships in the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association, The American Bar Association, ABA Sections of Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Association for Conflict Resolution, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.