Bill - William Lloyd Smith

William L. “Bill” Smith is an Idaho trial lawyer and founding partner of Smith Horras, P.A. His practice focuses on serious personal injury, catastrophic injury, commercial trucking, wrongful death, and complex civil cases throughout Idaho.

Bill has tried cases to Idaho juries, obtained substantial verdicts and judgments, handled appeals, and argued before the Idaho Supreme Court. His trial record includes a $980,000 jury verdict arising from a low-speed motor-vehicle collision—a case involving disputed injury and damages—and a significant I-84 injury verdict and judgment obtained with his partner Joe Horras after trial in Jerome County, Idaho. Bill and Joe later taught the I-84 case and its trial lessons to other plaintiffs’ lawyers through Trial Lawyers University.

Bill has particular interest in catastrophic injury, commercial transportation, and serious crashes along Idaho’s I-84 corridor. He also has a proven record of successfully collaborating and co-counseling with nationally recognized trial attorneys on significant cases. Smith Horras welcomes relationships with exceptional Idaho and out-of-state lawyers when combining experience, resources, and perspectives can better serve the client.

Bill regularly studies and teaches trial advocacy. He has presented through Trial Lawyers University, the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association, and other professional programs on jury verdicts, non-economic damages, trucking litigation, trial strategy, and courtroom technology.

Before private practice, Bill served as a judicial law clerk to Idaho traveling trial District Judge J. William Hart. He graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law in 1999, was admitted to the Idaho bar in 2000, and founded Smith Horras in 2007.

Bill’s approach is simple: prepare serious cases for trial, collaborate with great lawyers when it benefits the client, and be prepared to see the case through.