Butler Snow LLP is pleased to announce that attorneys D. Todd Smith and Amanda G. Taylor have been recognized in the 2023 edition of Texas Super Lawyers® for their demonstrated leadership and exceptional work in appellate law.
Super Lawyers® is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a rigorous process, including a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. Only 5% of lawyers in each state or region are named to the Super Lawyers® list.
D. Todd Smith | Austin, TX
Appellate
At Butler Snow, Smith is a member of the firm’s Appellate & Written Advocacy Group, where he represents individuals and entities on both sides of the docket, largely in commercial, real estate, and injury cases. Smith has developed expertise in jury charges, attorney fees, punitive damages, and supersedeas issues. Smith has devoted his career to appellate practice, starting with a two-year judicial clerkship at the Texas Supreme Court. Smith also has extensive experience representing clients as lead appellate counsel across Texas and in the Fifth Circuit. Still, his practice isn’t limited to writing appellate briefs and presenting oral arguments. He spends much of his time helping position cases for success at trial and on appeal through strategic analysis and briefing, handling critical legal issues in trial courts, and serving as embedded appellate counsel on trial teams. He is board-certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been recognized by Texas Super Lawyers® since 2013.
Smith is the creator and co-host of the Texas Appellate Law Podcast, which shares expert insights and demystifies appellate law through conversations with judges, court staff, and top trial and appellate practitioners. He is a trustee of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and a member of the Judicial Committee on Information Technology, which the legislature created to develop standards and guidelines for implementing technology in Texas courts. Smith previously served as president of the Austin Bar Association, as chair of the Austin Bar Foundation, and on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors, which oversees the state’s 110,000-member mandatory bar association.
Amanda G. Taylor | Austin, TX
Appellate
As a Board-Certified Civil Appellate specialist, Taylor helps to shape successful case strategy from the outset of litigation through the end of an appeal. Her widely varied practice areas include disputes regarding complex business and commercial, real property, tax, employment, products, and consumer issues. In each of these areas, Taylor applies her many years of experience in oral and written advocacy, combined with her deep understanding of Texas procedure and jurisprudence, to represent her clients successfully and efficiently. Additionally, Taylor serves as a professional mentor through The Appellate Project, which empowers law students of color to thrive in appellate law, and the Travis County Women Lawyers Association. She is a frequent author and presenter of Continuing Legal Education and has been recognized for her pro bono work. Taylor is known for being a detail-oriented lawyer who represents her clients passionately, stays current on emerging trends and issues, and brings a practical perspective to problem-solving.
Taylor has been recognized by Texas Super Lawyers® since 2014. She is an active member of the State Bar of Texas, the Travis County Women Lawyers Association, and the Baylor Law School Alumni Association. She is also a Foundation Fellow of the Austin Bar Association, where she previously served as Chair of the Civil Appellate Section and as a member of the Board of Directors, amongst other leadership roles. Taylor received her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Vanderbilt University and her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Baylor University School of Law.
Butler Snow’s Appellate & Written Advocacy Group has an extensive federal and state practice, often involving novel or complex legal issues in a wide variety of civil disputes. The firm’s appellate team’s significant national experience includes appearances before the United States Supreme Court, 11 of the 13 United States Courts of Appeal and various State Supreme Courts and other state appellate courts throughout the country. These include appeals of both cases tried by Butler Snow and cases tried by other firms, as well as the preparation of amici briefs on behalf of trade associations and other interested organizations. Butler Snow’s appellate attorneys offer specialized skillsets required to help clients successfully navigate all stages of litigation and meaningfully impact jurisprudence through written and oral advocacy.
