Jill Frost Smith is a Partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s Kansas City office and a member of the firm’s Tort & Catastrophic Loss and Labor & Employment practice groups. An accomplished trial lawyer with extensive courtroom and appellate experience, Ms. Smith has successfully defended clients in complex, high-exposure litigation across a wide range of industries and practice areas.

Ms. Smith has significant experience defending employers in employment practices liability matters and labor and employment disputes. She represents employers in claims involving Title VII and other federal and state employment laws, including allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other civil rights violations. Her employment litigation practice includes defending organizations throughout all phases of litigation, from pre-suit investigations through trial and appeal, while helping clients navigate sensitive workplace issues and mitigate risk.

A seasoned trial attorney, Ms. Smith has extensive experience defending catastrophic injury and high-exposure claims involving wrongful death, premises liability, products liability, toxic torts, and vehicular collisions. She regularly handles complex litigation matters and has built a reputation for effective advocacy in both state and federal courts.

Ms. Smith has substantial experience representing professionals and businesses in professional negligence and construction defect matters. She has successfully defended clients in complex disputes involving allegations of professional malpractice, faulty construction, and related liability claims.

Ms. Smith has litigated numerous environmental and toxic tort matters, including claims arising from alleged exposure to asbestos, silica, mold, and lead paint. Her experience includes managing scientifically and technically complex cases involving environmental contamination, exposure-related injuries, and other toxic tort allegations.

In addition to her litigation practice, Ms. Smith regularly represents clients in commercial disputes, including computer software litigation and other business-related matters. She provides strategic counsel and aggressive advocacy in a variety of complex commercial conflicts.

Ms. Smith has successfully argued appellate matters before the Missouri Court of Appeals, the United States District Court, and the Missouri Supreme Court. Her appellate experience complements her trial practice and enables her to provide clients with comprehensive litigation representation at every stage of a case.

Ms. Smith has been selected as a Missouri “Super Lawyer” since 2006, an honor awarded to no more than five percent of attorneys in the state. She is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers, recognized for excellence in litigation and outstanding ethical standards.

She is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a national organization of experienced trial attorneys and judges dedicated to preserving the civil jury trial system. In addition, she has been recognized as one of the “Women Leaders in the Law” by ALM, a leading provider of specialized business news and information. Ms. Smith annually serves as an instructor at the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers’ Trial Academy at the University of Missouri.

Ms. Smith earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Tulsa, where she was a member of the Order of Barristers, The Energy Law Journal, and the Trial Advocacy Team. She received the American Jurisprudence Award for Pre-Trial Practice and the American Bar Association Silver Key Award. She is also certified as a mediator by Washington University School of Law. She is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Eighth and Tenth Circuits, the United States District Courts for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas, the Missouri Supreme Court, and all Missouri state courts.